Dog Days
by stark18
Summary: Tony knew he didn't have the best luck. But he would've never thought that being turned into a two-foot tall dog was a possibility... until it was.
1. Chapter 1

It was pretty obvious that Tony enjoyed pushing other people's buttons. It came natural to him - he was just an argumentative person. Whether it was arguing from different scientific standpoints, or who was the most drunk the night before, he liked to come out on top.

It was also fairly obvious that Steve Rogers took the brunt of the arguing. Maybe it was because his father would always compare him to Captain America - mostly just degrading his son because his other 'greatest creation' vanished - or because of their first conversation on the helicarrier. Whatever it was, Tony just _had_ to argue with him.

And because of this, Tony now found himself sitting in Clint's lap with his head hanging out of the window, oddly satisfied as the wind blew through his white and brown fur. Yeah, _fur,_ not hair. And his front _paws_ were scraping up on the windows attempting to keep the rest of his body steady. When Happy braked at the next stoplight, Tony slammed back into Clint, who just chuckled in response. But one look at Steve made Tony regret ever ignoring his orders during the fight a few hours before.

 **A Few Hours Before…**

"You have got to be kidding me," Tony grumbled as soon as he changed into more comfortable clothes and finally got into bed.

The Avengers got an alert of a supernatural presence in a subtle location near the Canadian border, specifically in Maine's never-ending expanse of forests. And of course, the alert _had_ to be made at six in the morning, right when Tony was about crash after a whole night spent in his workshop. He knew that he should've gone to bed at a normal time like a normal human being, but refused to admit it. Instead, he threw the covers off the bed and slumped back down to his workshop.

On the way, he ran into Steve - who woke up at six every morning - and got shot a glare, obviously because the billionaire wasn't already in his suit. Tony rolled his eyes grumpily at him in return.

When he reached his workshop, he stood in the contraption he deemed the "Spinning Rings," waiting impatiently as the suit was put on him by JARVIS. Once the suit was on, he flew up to the helipad a few floors above. He clanked down next to the quinjet, approaching his seemingly annoyed teammates.

"We're supposed to be in the air right now…" Steve was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Then let's go, you could have left. In case you haven't noticed, I can fly. No quinjet required for me," Tony slumped his shoulders and entered through the bay doors, taking a seat in the back rather than his usual spot in the cockpit. Clint glanced at him but hesitantly took his seat to pilot the jet.

Once Clint steadied the jet after takeoff, Tony kicked his feet up on the seat across from him, which happened to be the seat Steve was sitting next to. Steve looked at them in disgust and eventually nudged them down, causing Tony to glare at him. Steve didn't stand down, and when Tony put his feet up again in retaliation, they were pushed right back down. When this occurred for the third time, Tony huffed loud enough to be heard by everyone, but kept his feet down.

"You do realize that this is technically _my_ jet, seeing as I practically fund everything regarding the team, right?" Steve rolled his eyes at the statement.

"And I'm sure you realize that this jet is used by the team, and I'm willing to bet they would appreciate you keeping your filthy feet off the upholstery," Steve stated flatly, voice raising a little.

"I think the team can speak for their damn selves, so how 'bout you leave them out of it," Tony was pushing it, but found that riling the soldier up was more fun than expected. Everyone else just minded their own business, but it was obvious that they were watching the pair.

"Whatever…" Steve's eyes narrowed a little bit as he looked away. Tony used the opportunity to throw his feet back up, patiently waiting to see what Steve would do. He smirked when he earned the patented 'Captain America' look. Steve calmly got up from his seat to move to the bench located in the middle of the jet. Tony smiled to himself, knowing that he successfully got under his skin. He then closed his eyes, allowing himself to catch some much needed sleep.

Tony was nudged awake by Bruce once they landed in a clear patch of grass, presumably close to where the supernatural force was signalled in. He jerked upright and wiped the crud out of his eyes, yawning as he went to retrieve his helmet - he left the suit on when he slept because it had air conditioning, which was much needed in the August heat. As he clambered off the jet, he looked around and could clearly see that they were in the middle of nowhere.

The team began to walk together towards a clump of trees, everyone holding their weapons in case of an unexpected attack. Tony fired up his repulsors and flew upwards to look around better. He noticed a tiny house - it looked sort of like a witch's house, dark and definitely suitable to conjure up potions - beyond the treeline. He started to descend to investigate, and was immediately told by - you guessed it! - Steve to return back to the group.

Well, _obviously_ Tony wasn't going to do that. Instead, he landed a couple yards away from the house, and it appeared as if no one was home. "JARVIS, scan for any sign of movement," Tony started towards the house when JARVIS reported that there was no movement from inside. He could still hear Steve giving him orders in his earpiece, so he clicked it off.

He opened the door and took a few steps inside, activating his night vision HUD because the little sliver of light let in through the door wasn't helpful in any way. He startled when the door shut behind him, and he started to get a little nervous - not that he was going to admit that to anyone. With every step he took, the floor creaked and he suddenly saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

When he turned to look, he could see a black figure sitting in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. He immediately tried raising his arm to expose a small missile, but found that he was stuck. He struggled, sweat starting to form beneath his goatee, but he still couldn't move. The creature in the corner began to move toward him, and suddenly his vision went white as the lights turned on in the room. The faceplate lifted up without his permission and he found himself eye to eye with Loki, because who else would be there.

"For a genius, you are probably one of the dumbest Midgardians I ever stumbled upon," Loki smirked at him, and let out a little chuckle when Tony tried to snark back, but couldn't.

Tony attempted to narrow his eyes, but it must've looked stupid by the way Loki's smile widened. Loki looked out the window, and suddenly turned back to Tony with a new sort of motivation, "Now, now, we must be quick. The rest of your buffoons are nearing. As you may remember, your little stunt during New York eliminated any chance of me ruling this planet. But I have returned to seek revenge," -Tony could have rolled his eyes at the cliche villainy statement - "and I will make sure that you will have suffered as much as m-"

Loki was interrupted when a familiar hammer burst through the wall, and Tony would have jumped for joy if it wasn't for his (hopefully temporary) paralysis. However, Loki wasted no time in conjuring up a green-tinted fog around Tony, forgetting about finishing off his spiel. Tony let out a painful gasp as his body started to crack and pull all over, and found himself on his back a few seconds later.

He saw a familiar flash of red, white, and blue as he quickly slipped into unconsciousness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Aw, he's actually really cute."

"This is serious, Clint!"

"I know, I know. But would it be weird if I cuddled him?"

"Clint, I swear I'm gonna knock you out. Besides, I don't think he would necessarily appreciate that."

Tony was gradually slipping back into consciousness. He still couldn't open his eyes, trying to remember what had caused him to pass out in the first place. Listening to his teammates wasn't helpful either - who the hell did Clint want to cuddle?

He decided to crack an eye open, which he immediately regretted because the light was very intense. He lifted his hand to cover his eyes and let out a little sigh as he plunged right back into darkness. But something wasn't right, he didn't remember his hand being that... hairy.

Then all these different scents hit him all at once. He could smell a mixture of confusion, reluctance, and a large amount of worry - that was weird, he didn't remember having the ability to smell _feelings_ \- and groaned as he was overwhelmed. What the hell was going on?

"Tony? Can you understand us?" That was Bruce. He felt a hand lay on his stomach, which felt oddly satisfying. He decided to open his eyes, and could see his teammates looking at him from above with shocked faces. He started to feel a little claustrophobic.

"What are you all staring at, jeez. Give a guy a little space," he attempted to say, but all that came out were a bunch of yelps, whines, and _barks_. Oh no.

"I think that answers your question, Bruce," Natasha practically whispered.

He jerked upright, and lost balance as he tried to stand up, finding it excruciatingly difficult. So, he remained laying down, but immediately looked at himself. His eyes crossed and he could see a white muzzle, and in front of him laid two white paws, _not_ hands. He scooted backwards from his paws, bumping into Thor who was standing behind him. He whimpered, which could have been because of Thor's muscular legs or the shock that he was a fucking dog!

"Oh, Anthony. My brother has seemed to play one of his many tricks, I am deeply sorry," Thor patted his head. Tony shook his head in disbelief. He had the sudden urge to just curl up in a ball and hide from the world. God, this was worse than he imagined.

He looked up at his teammates once more, now understanding why they were so worried. After the initial shock - although he would _never_ get over it - he looked around to figure out where they were. It appeared as though they were still in Maine, at the quinjet's landing site.

Steve was jogging back from the treeline where the witch house was. He spared Tony a worried glance then looked at everyone else. "Loki's gone, I don't know where he could've gone off to. He probably teleported or something," he sighed.

Great… now Tony would have to remain like this until they found the trickster, which could be a day or months. Apparently the disappointment was showing on his face, because Natasha crouched down and scratched behind his ears, "We'll find him, Stark." He huffed as she stood up.

"We better get going, we need to get you checked out," Bruce directed at Tony, as he walked towards the jet. Reluctantly, Tony rolled back up to his feet, trying to accommodate to walking on all fours rather than upright. He took a few steps to get the feel for it, and after he felt comfortable enough, he followed Bruce up the bay doors with everyone else in tow.

He heard his armor clank down in the back of the jet, carried by Thor. After watching to make sure it was secure, he hopped up on the seat he was in before, and curled up. The rest of the team took their respective seats as well, the only exception Steve switching with Clint to pilot. Clint took the opportunity to sit right next to Tony - really, he couldn't have given him a _little_ space - so that he could put Tony's head on his lap. Tony wanted to pull away, but found himself so deep in thought he couldn't.

Tony could see just how tense Steve was from this angle. His shoulders were hunched up, and he didn't dare look anywhere but ahead. Tony began to wonder what sort of punishment he would be in for for disobeying Steve's direct orders - as if this wasn't punishment enough…

Clint quietly hummed to himself while smoothing out Tony's fur on his back. Tony thoughts shifted to what was going to happen next. How was he going to help the team if he couldn't fly his suit? What about the company? What about his life in general? He already knew he was going to be put under constant supervision. He wouldn't be able to open any doors, or - shit, he wouldn't even be able to use the fucking bathroom by himself! And it's not like he could _tell_ them his thoughts, because all he could do was bark and whine. That's a whole other problem on it's own…

God, this was humiliating. He involuntarily whimpered, and Clint smiled sadly down at him, and as if reading his thoughts, "Hey bud, it's alright. Bruce was already talking about a way to make a collar for you so you can talk - I know you probably miss that," Clint chuckled. Tony attempted to glare, but for once in his life he agreed with him. He missed being able to talk.

"Before you know it, we'll be back at the tower and we'll have the proper resources to solve this." Tony was seriously getting annoyed with the amount of optimism here. He was a realist, and he knew that the only way to solve this problem was to find Loki. And he also knew that _that_ was going to be a long shot, seeing as Loki wanted revenge on him - there was no doubt he was going to be stuck like this for a few weeks minimum.

Without realizing, Tony's eyes were drifting shut. A few minutes later, he fell asleep with the thoughts of never turning back on his mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Apparently while Tony was asleep, Steve managed to land the jet at SHIELD headquarters, _not_ the tower. Tony was beyond pissed, there was no way in hell he was going to let Fury see him like this. Luckily, they were still in the quinjet, so Tony could - and would - retaliate being dragged into that god awful place.

When Steve pressed the button to open the jet, Clint went to pick Tony up, who was having none of that. He leaped off the seat, barely getting by Clint, and made a dash for the door. Tony now appreciated the fact that he had four legs, making him a lot faster.

He was able to make it outside, but the heat hit him like a brick wall. He ignored the humid outdoors while running as fast as he could and as far away from the headquarters as possible. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't really go anywhere, seeing as Steve landed the jet on the helipad, which happened to be on the roof. He could hear shouting from behind him, but he refused to look back.

The logical part of him knew that he was going to get caught, seeing as it was five against one, and that he was quite literally running in circles. But the other part of him knew that if he allowed Fury to see him like this, he wouldn't hear the end of it, so he kept running.

After about a minute-or-so of dodging his teammates, he started to get hot. Like, really really hot. He started panting and slowing down, his tongue hanging out of his mouth so he would have more room to suck in air. He cursed at his newfound fur. He eventually slowed down enough that Steve was able to snag him up and hold him to his chest. He tried to squirm a little, but there was zero chance Steve was gonna budge.

"Are you kidding me, Stark? I know this isn't an enjoyable situation for you, but you could at least cooperate to help speed things up," Steve smacked Tony's muzzle, enough to tell him that he was disappointed and if he tried another stunt like that there would be a more serious consequence.

"Jesus Christ, Tony," Clint sputtered, dripping in sweat. He apparently did the brunt of the chasing. The summer heat was obviously helping neither of them. Clint bent over, trying to catch his breath. Natasha just patted Clint's back, rolling her eyes and raising her eyebrow at Tony, who was trying to peek over Steve's shoulder. She was obviously unimpressed.

"Now that _that_ is over, we have to bring him down to the lab. I already informed Agent Hill that we were coming in, so she assembled some technicians to help as well as… well, someone who may be more of an expert in this field," Bruce gestured at Tony.

Steve roughly shoved Tony into Thor's arms, obviously fed up with his antics. If looks could kill, Tony would already be six feet under from the glare Steve sent him. Thor followed Steve down the stairs that led into the building.

Tony sighed into Thor's chest, knowing that there was no chance of escape now - and because of the foreseeable punishment that was Captain America.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The group ended up in a lab where Tony was now standing on an examination table, reluctantly waiting for the examiner to come in. He couldn't quite hide his fear because his stupid tail wouldn't listen to him and come out from in between his legs. On top of that, he was shaking. If he was being honest, he was more worried about Fury popping in rather than getting touched all over.

There was a mirror running parallel to the examination table and for the first time that day, he was able to look at his appearance. Not to sound self-obsessed, but Tony had to admit he was a handsome dog. His fur was more fluffy than fine, but it wasn't too fluffy to the point he was a straight up puffball. His neck and chest were white, as well as his muzzle and paws. His back was a splotchy gray, with speckles of black scattered about. There was also a hint of brown on his face, stomach and hind legs. His tail was the only epitome of fluff, and he had no doubt in his mind that it would get played with in the future. He admits that he's grateful for Loki for at least sparing him his looks, and not transforming him into a Shih Tzu or something. He sighed at the little victory.

When the door opened to reveal a man in a lab coat, Bruce stood up to shake his hand. The man was actually a veterinarian, apparently the 'expert' that Bruce was talking about before. After the man shook his hand in return, he introduced himself.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Sherman, and I'm just going to be running a few tests today to make sure that Mr. Stark is healthy. I'll also be doing a physical examination so that we'll know how to accommodate to his needs," he was slipping on plastic gloves as he stated this.

"Now, how did this," he gestured to Tony, "exactly happen?"

"My brother was playing one of his many tricks, I cannot explain to the fullest because I'm not experienced with such sorcery," Thor looked down at his hands.

"Ah, I see. Well, I might not be able to help transform you back, but I can ensure that you receive the proper information on how to remain in tip-top shape until this gets sorted."

The rest of the team stood by as Tony was looked over. He was measured, checked over for any abnormalities, and blood samples were taken to be observed in a lab. And very - _very_ \- reluctantly, Tony gave a urine sample. Doctor Sherman was lucky that Steve was there to tell Tony to, otherwise he might have bitten the daylights out of the persistent doctor. Then, on top of it all, Tony had to stand uncomfortably as a thermometer was shoved up his ass. At this, Clint couldn't hold his laughter in. Tony just growled, showing his pearly whites at the archer, until Natasha nudged him to stop laughing.

When the doctor was finished, he went to grab his clipboard to observe his notes. "Well, from what I can examine physically, Tony here is a healthy pup. He is an Australian Shepherd, a working breed. They are known to be highly energetic, so daily exercise will be necessary." Tony groaned at that, knowing that Steve was most likely going to make him tag along during his strenuous workouts.

"He is a little less than two feet tall, his coat is considered medium length, so grooming will also be required, especially during this summer heat. His diet will have to be strict, so you all should refrain from feeding him human food. Stick to store-bought dog kibble, and a few treats now and then should be acceptable." Tony was seriously about to bite the shit out of this guy. What the fuck?! No human food! Tony really hated his life right now.

"And water only," Tony growled at that, his body couldn't function without his daily five cups of coffee. Steve shot him a glare, and Tony glared right back. "I know that this is a huge adjustment for you, but you must understand that if you don't follow these requirements, the results could be fatal…" Doctor Sherman placed a gloved hand on his back, and Tony was debating whether to bite his hand off, but decided against it.

"If any of you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call. Thank you," with that, Doctor Sherman nodded at the group and abruptly left.

Tony let out a sigh he didn't realize he was holding in. He wasn't glad, however, at all these new restrictions placed on his life. And he knew that Captain Stick-Up-His-Ass would oblige to all of them. Damn, Bruce needed to hurry up with that new collar so he could tell everyone that they were overreacting, that it would be fine if he still ate pizza or drank a cup of coffee, _nothing_ would happen!

"Ok, you heard the man, Tones. We better get back to the tower so we can get supplies. I can tell that you don't want to stay here," Clint smiled down at him, and Tony decided right then that he was the best person ever.

Clint picked him up off the table and hesitantly put him on the ground so he could walk himself. He could tell everyone was on edge, waiting for him to make a break for it. He decided to play nice, and _maybe_ his good behavior would allow him to get away with some things in the future.

The team was walking through SHIELD headquarters, and while Tony was trotting along, he couldn't help but notice all the 'aws' directed towards him. Don't get him wrong, Tony loved being in the spotlight, but god, couldn't these people just mind their own business. For once, Tony would have preferred hiding in the shadows. The next agent that made a comment about his 'cuteness' was going to get a bite to the throat…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The team made it to the entrance successfully, and it was considered a success because Fury didn't make an appearance. Happy was waiting just outside, standing beside a sleek Rolls-Royce, big enough to fit everyone. When the team approached him, he stuck out his hand towards the super-soldier.

"Captain Rogers," Happy nodded towards the man.

"Hi Happy. Thanks for being here on such short notice," Steve shook his hand in return. Happy nodded at the rest of the team before his face showed a hint of disgust when he laid his eyes upon the sole dog.

"Uh, I didn't know that you were going to be bringing along a pet," Tony sighed, knowing where this was going, "and I don't think Boss would really appreciate fur all over his car. Hey, where is he by the way?" Happy broke off his staring contest with Tony to look around for said man.

Tony rolled his eyes and barked, re-grabbing his bodyguard's attention. Happy shot him another look, before looking at Cap for an answer regarding his boss's location. Steve scratched the back of his head and eyed Tony. Happy's facial expression changed as he looked down at the dog.

"Tony?" Happy questioned. Tony nodded his head to answer, that yes, he was the dog.

"How- how did this happen? I mean, he's pretty stupid, but not _that_ stupid," Happy crouched down so he could inspect Tony closer. Tony's eyebrows shot up, obviously surprised that Happy had the guts to call him stupid.

"Sorry, boss," well, at least he had the decency to look ashamed. He stood back up and looked to any team member willing to answer his question. All Clint said was "Loki," and Happy sighed and looked sadly down at Tony.

"Ok, well, let's get going. The sooner we get back to the tower, the sooner this can get sorted out," Happy opened the back door. Everyone slid in, and Tony went to jump on the seat but Happy snatched him out of the air.

"Sorry, but I'm sure you of all people understand that fur doesn't go well with leather," Happy gave a shaky smile, and placed Tony on Steve's lap, who then proceeded to put him on Clint's lap. Happy closed the door and went to the driver's seat. He put the car in drive and started heading towards Avengers Tower.

Clint rolled down the window, and shot Tony a mischievous look. Tony leaned his head towards the window, and the breeze flowing through his fur was an amazing feeling and - oh hell no, Tony was _not_ going to succumb to his dog instincts and stick his head out the window like a filthy animal. Nope, especially now that the team was looking at him, waiting for him to do so. Happy drove down the long driveway and finally made it to the first intersection. The rest of the team put their windows down in an attempt to 'cool off'.

Tony was stubborn, but his fur wasn't helping at all in this heat. He could feel the slight breeze from Clint's lap, and discretely re-aimed his head so that he could cool down a bit. Clint, the asshole, lifted his knee up higher, so that Tony's head was closer to the window. The billionaire shot him a dirty look, but Clint was too busy closing his eyes, making a show of how good the fresh air felt.

Tony looked around and saw that everyone else was doing the same, except Steve who was just staring ahead. He shook his head but attempted to stand up, and he would later argue that the only reason he was going to do this was so he didn't pass out from the heat. He balanced on Clint's legs and stuck his head out a pinch. Damn it, it wasn't supposed to feel that good…

As if his body took over, Tony's front legs jumped up so he could stick his entire head out the window. The air traveled through his fur all the way to the tip of his tail, immediately cooling him down. He closed his eyes, ignoring the amused looks he was receiving from his team, and opened his mouth. His tongue flopped out and Tony couldn't describe the sensation, but it definitely felt good.

Then Happy had to slam on the brakes as the light turned red, and he crashed back into Clint's chest. Clint wrapped his arms around Tony's small body and chuckled. Tony looked around, embarrassed that such little force could throw his body hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Luckily, most of the team wasn't really paying attention, _except_ for Steve.

Tony looked at Steve, and all he could see was utter disappointment. Tony couldn't tell if it was at him, or Steve himself. But from what Tony could tell, he knew that this wasn't going to be a fun journey for either of them.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the day actually went a lot smoother than anyone had expected. Well, to be honest, it was mostly because Tony was left alone with Clint and Thor while the rest of the team went to pick up supplies.

After Happy dropped everyone off at the tower, everyone gathered inside. The group made it as far as the communal room before the trio took off. "We'll be right back. You two," Natasha pointed at Clint and Thor, "better keep him out of trouble, or I'll have your heads." The archer and god nodded quickly, knowing she would follow through.

Bruce grabbed a set of keys for Tony's Mercedes-Benz and the group gathered in the elevator. Tony watched as the down arrow lit up, confirming that they were heading to the garage. Tony turned to his other teammates, and they were looking at each other, probably trying to figure out what to do.

"So, we can't really go out, seeing as it's illegal to not have you on a leash. And before you even try, I was already told not to bring you anywhere close to your workshop. Sorry, but I'm not really looking to be on Cap's bad side," Tony clenched his teeth, because that was the only thing he really wanted to do at the moment. He could've gotten a headstart on Bruce's collar, with the help of JARVIS and his bots of course. Damn Steve. He wasn't even there and he was still being frustrating.

Tony tried to think of what else to do, and found that he was actually pretty hungry and thirsty. He realized that this may be the last time he would be able to eat human food without Steve nagging him, so he led the pair to the kitchen.

"Oh shit, you must be hungry," Clint, as if reading his mind, opened the fridge and dug through it until he found some leftover pizza. Tony could kiss the man. His mouth started watering as Clint bent to feed the genius, but suddenly the pizza was snatched out of the archer's hand.

"Thor, what the hell?" Clint flinched, obviously not knowing what he did wrong.

"I thought your Midgardian canine doctor forbade you of feeding Anthony this kind of sustenance. Should we not wait for the others to return, seeing as they are obtaining the correct nourishment?" Goddamnit, Thor! Tony growled at him. He was so close! Of course _that_ had to be the one thing Mr. I-Have-No-Idea-What-The-Hell-Is-Ever-Going-On picked up on.

Thor backed up from the tiny dog - which would have resulted in a chuckle from Tony, seeing as the huge god was scared of a creature who he could drop-kick across the entire city if provoked, but Tony was too pissed off to laugh. Instead, he leapt for where the pizza was still in Thor's hand, and managed to bite off a little more than half.

And boy did he run. There was no way in Hell that Tony was going to give up this slice. He wouldn't admit it, but he felt kind of pathetic for snapping over a piece of cold pizza.

He circled back into the living room and dove under the couch. He tried to eat the pizza as fast as he could, and he managed to consume half of it before the couch was partially picked up and he was dragged out from under. Tony dug his claws into the carpet as he attempted to scoff down more food, but Thor grabbed ahold of Tony's lower jaw and gently pried it open. Clint was able to snatch the piece out of Tony's mouth before Thor let go. Tony went to bite Thor's actual hand but failed when Clint picked him up from behind and smacked him hard on the muzzle.

"Knock it off! I'll admit that was my fault and I should've been paying closer attention, but Thor's right. We're trying to look out for your well-being, goddamnit Tony, can't you see that!" Clint pinched the bridge of his nose, and this was the first time that Tony saw him really upset.

Tony looked down at the floor, and he saw from the position he was held that his tail had gone between his legs. But he wasn't afraid, no, he was more ashamed than anything. Of course he knew that the entire team was looking out for his well-being! It's just that he never wanted to feel normal as much as he did now, and the only way to do that was to do human things, like eat pizza.

He also knew that he would do the same if any of his teammates were in his position. He'd probably let more things fly, but he knew that he would protect his teammates if they were this vulnerable.

He gave a low whine, his attempt to apologize in this form. Clint squeezed him tighter for a quick moment, then put him down. "This must suck. Like, so much. I can't even begin to understand what you're going through, but remember that we're all in your corner, and we all want to help you through this," Clint crouched down to smooth the messy fur on Tony's back.

"Indeed, Anthony. I am apologetic, I was not trying to make this a more miserable experience for you. I just want to ensure that you do not harm yourself in this state," Tony looked up at Thor, who's puppy eyes were rivaling his own. Tony gave a slight nod at both his teammates, acknowledging everything they just said.

After the 'pizza incident', everything went pretty smoothly. Clint set down a bowl of water in the kitchen, and had to refill it a few seconds later when Tony gulped it down to the last drop. Tony finished half of the second bowl before heading back out into the living room, with Clint right behind him. The team must've talked about Tony's restrictions regarding access to the furniture because Clint laid down a worn blanket on the couch, presumably for Tony to lay on. When Clint sat down and patted the blanket, Tony sighed but jumped up, not wanting to upset the archer any further.

Thor settled down on the other couch in the room, and turned the TV on. The three remained like this until the rest of the team returned. At the sound of the elevator, Tony's ears perked up and his head snapped towards the sound. The other trio walked into the living room, each carrying a bag full of dog supplies. In addition to the bags, Steve had a bag of dog food slung over his shoulder, and that alone made Tony want to puke.

"How was he?" Steve asked the two humans in the room, not even sparing a glance to Tony.

"Good! We couldn't really do anything so we just chilled up here," Clint gestured to the room and TV. Tony was glad he didn't bring up the 'incident'.

But, as if on cue, "Yes, he was very well behaved indeed. Aside from the incident regarding the pizza, he was, as you Midgardians put it, an angel!" Thor chuckled, not knowing he just threw Tony under the bus.

"What happened with the pizza?" Steve shot Tony a knowing look, and the genius could see the gears working in Steve's brain, already trying to come up with a suitable punishment.

"He may have had a tiny piece of pizza, but Steve, it was nothing," Clint added when Steve's mouth clenched, "And besides, it was my fault. I was the one who gave it to him," that was a lie, Tony technically snatched it himself, and he would _totally_ admit it if he could talk. Oh well.

"I knew I should've stayed…" Steve sighed and shook his head, obviously disappointed in the archer. He said nothing more, but instead made his way to the kitchen to put the bag of food away. Clint let out a breath of air, and his shoulder sagged. Tony nudged him with his nose, silently thanking him for saving his ass.

"Good news, I got all the supplies needed for the collar, so I'm gonna head down to the lab to get started. I may need Tony to come down for some tests, I'll get JARVIS to alert you," Tony's tail started wagging and he gave Bruce a dopey smile. Bruce bent to pet him between his ears. Then, the scientist heaved the bag back up onto his shoulder, and made his way to the elevator.

Natasha put her bag on the table in the living room, and was digging in around the bag. "Y'know, it's really nice out. We should go for a walk," a mischievous grin crept along her face. Tony didn't notice the smile. Just hearing the word 'walk' made his tail wag even harder for some strange reason. He glared at his extremity, trying to make it stop but found that it was quite impossible.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes," Clint smiled towards the other assassin as she pulled out an unfamiliar item. As she unfolded it, Tony's sudden energy simmered down to nothing. She held out the blue dog harness and bounced it as if she was teasing him. He let out a small growl, then yelped when Clint picked him up and carried him towards Natasha. He squirmed, but Clint had a firm grasp on his tiny body. There was no escape.

After the two assassins maneuvered him into the harness, he shook with all his might, trying to fix his disheveled fur. He shook so hard he fell over, which earned a loud laugh from Thor, who was watching the whole scene from the couch. He scowled and decided that he was done embarrassing himself. There was no way he was going to go out in public in a _dog harness_. Even if people wouldn't recognize him, there was still a chance they'd recognize his teammates, and he was not risking getting his picture taken to get plastered all over the news. No thank you.

He heard a snap, and realized that Natasha clipped the matching blue leash to the back of his harness. She gave a tug, trying to get Tony's attention. "C'mon Stark, I thought you wanted to go for walkies," Clint chuckled alongside Natasha. Tony growled, letting them know that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Hey, this is what Dr. Sherman ordered. One little walk around the block, come on, you need to exercise," Natasha tugged a little harder on the leash, causing Tony to slide a few inches across the smooth floor. She smiled a little bit. Tony huffed angrily in response.

"Fine, I'll give you a choice. You can either walk yourself, or I can drag you. I'm not sure being dragged across the cement outside would be too comfortable, but again, it's your choice," Natasha crossed her arms, starting to look annoyed. Maybe if Tony didn't cooperate, she'd give up - though that was unlikely, there was still a chance his stubbornness would prevail.

When Tony made no move to stand up, Natasha shrugged her shoulders as she started walking towards the elevator, dragging Tony's light body with little to no effort it seemed. Deep inside, Tony knew that he was probably embarrassing himself even more by letting her drag him along...

When the trio entered the elevator, Tony was able to see Steve leaning against the kitchen doorway with his arms crossed against his chest, obviously unimpressed with Tony's actions. Then the doors closed, and Tony sighed. Natasha and Clint made small talk as the elevator descended, and the doors opened to the lobby. Natasha walked out, disregarding Tony's horrified face. While Tony was being dragged along, it was as if they were in SHIELD again. All his employees were 'aw'ing and making faces at him. Well, joke's on them, because he was going to fire them all.

When they reached the entrance, Natasha looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. He reluctantly stood up, not wanting to be dragged across the hot, rough cement. The trio went outside, Clint and Natasha walking next to each other with Tony slightly in front of them.

His nose was suddenly overwhelmed with all the smells of the city, both good and bad. He sneezed, shaking his entire body, which earned a couple more 'aws' out of on-goers. They approached a crosswalk and had to wait for the signal to change. Tony inched closer to Natasha as more and more people started surrounding them, waiting to cross.

When the sign finally changed, they walked across the street and veered off to where less traffic was, and Tony was very grateful for that. He could hear the spies talking quietly behind him, but all of a sudden a squirrel happened to stop in his path, which garnered his full attention. Natasha and Clint seemed to realize this because their conversation stopped abruptly, but Tony was too engrossed to care if they were watching.

As if trying to tip-toe, Tony inched closer to the creature and instinctively stayed lowered to the ground. He could hear a snort behind him, but paid no attention to it. When he thought he was close enough, he pounced at the squirrel, trying to claw at it, but it was too fast. He attempted to chase after it, but was pulled back by Natasha. He let out a whine, and looked at her to only come face-to-face with a camera lense. Great, Clint caught the entire thing on phone. That was exactly what he needed…

"Aw, look Nat, he looks so grumpy," he snorted again when Tony's eyes narrowed, "What's the matter? Was the little critter too fast for you Starkie?" He could barely contain his laughter. Natasha whumped him upside the head, which only helped to downgrade his laughs to amused sniffles.

Tony was grateful for that, and the trio continued forward until another... pressing matter overcame Tony. He was stupid to think he could just avoid using the bathroom. He cursed himself for drinking all that water. Peeing in this form was embarrassing enough, but having to relieve himself in front of his teammates made it a near impossible task.

He tried to ignore it as best as he could, but with each step he took his bladder jostled enough to regain his attention. He clenched his jaw, but knew he wasn't going to make it home in time. He saw a fire hydrant up ahead and knew that it was either go there or wait until another one popped up, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold it for much longer.

When they reached the hydrant, he stopped in his tracks. Natasha and Clint didn't seem to understand and walked passed him, tugging on his leash when he wouldn't follow. "Let's get going, Stark. I promise we'll head back soon," Natasha gave one more experimental tug before realization crossed her face as she looked at where he was standing.

"Oh, um… I don't really know how to help you there, sorry," Natasha pursed her lips. Beside her Clint pulled out his phone again to record, "Oh my goodness, this is the best thing ever. Come on, you can do it!" Tony looked up pleadingly at Natasha, who snagged Clint's phone out of his hand and stopped the recording. Tony nodded in thanks, but they were still watching, so he made a circular motion with his head, hoping they got the hint to turn around.

Natasha rolled her eyes but turned, and Clint looked like he was going to throw a fucking tantrum, but followed Natasha's lead. Tony felt his face burning up, not sure how to approach this situation. He stood right next to the hydrant, and waited for his body to relieve itself, but nothing was happening... What the hell? Not even a few seconds ago he would've pissed himself, now his bladder was refusing to let go.

He heard Clint groan, his patience wearing off, "We don't have all day…" Tony was at a loss. He tried sucking in his stomach, but nothing. Clint peered back, curious at the hold up, then quickly turned to his partner. "Aw Nat, I think he has stage fright," he whispered to Natasha, but Tony's enhanced dog ears picked up on it. Tony was tempted to bark at him, but that would've drawn their attention, so he decided against it.

He shook his head and realized that he wasn't doing the one thing every dog did when peeing. He groaned but reluctantly lifted one of his hind legs, and almost immediately his bladder let go. Damn, he was actually kind of upset that it worked, this was so embarrassing. When he finished, Clint clapped as if applauding him and Tony jumped up to snap at him, but the archer recoiled back.

Natasha mumbled something inaudible under her breath and tugged on Tony's leash. "C'mon, let's head back home. I know Steve wants you on a 'proper eating schedule' and it's almost dinner time," Natasha tugged on Tony's leash. Hesitantly, Tony trotted at Natasha's side with Clint on her other side as they made their way back to the tower. Tony wondered the entire trip home what Steve had up his sleeve.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When they got back to the tower, and Natasha took off that god awful harness, Tony shook to straighten out his fur. He could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen, and couldn't help but go check out what was cooking.

He chuckled upon seeing Bruce wearing an apron, trying to balance a stack of plates in one hand while mixing some food on the stove with the other. Tony let a dopey smile crawl across his face while watching Bruce struggle. "Y'know, instead of staring at me, you _could_ lend a hand," Bruce said. Tony was just about to mention that he physically couldn't help, but realized Natasha was behind him, seemingly enjoying the spectacle as well.

"Nah, this is more fun," Natasha leaned against the doorway, continuing to watch. Tony looked back at her, nodding to show that he agreed. She smiled at him, but it wavered when Steve came in with a dog bowl. Tony's smile also faltered, and he scrunched up his nose as Steve poured some of the dog kibble into the bowl.

Bruce was pouring, what Tony figured out to be curry, into each of the five bowls. He placed the bowls around the island, and made his way into the living room, presumably to tell Thor and Clint the food was ready. Four of the five actual human beings sat down in their usual seats. Steve was still at the counter, putting the kibble away as he grabbed Tony's food bowl.

He took his place at the island, but not before putting Tony's bowl down on the floor in front of the dog. Tony couldn't help the look of disbelief that showed across his face. "Eat it, Tony," was the only response he got before Steve dug into his own food. Like hell he was going to eat it. The rest of his team was making it blatantly obvious that the curry was amazing, each of them closing their eyes after each bite, as if savoring it. Damn, the least they could do was pretend it sucked.

To show his reluctance, he nudged the bowl away with his nose. But, he didn't mean to nudge it as hard as he did. To his horror, the bowl accidentally flipped over, littering the tile floor with kibble. Oh, shit. He just wanted to push it away…

When he finally had the courage to look up, his tail immediately went in between his legs. Tony cowered backwards, and once he reached the corner of the kitchen, he couldn't move farther back away from Steve's towering body.

"Hey, Steve. C'mon man. Take it easy," Clint stated from the table, but didn't dare get up. Tony could see that the archer wanted to defend the dog, but knew that it would do him no good.

"No, I'm not going to 'take it easy'. I have had enough. From the minute the call came in this morning, you have been _nothing_ but a pain in my goddamn ass! I am sick and tired of you thinking that just because you fund this team, or flew a nuke into space, that you have full control and can do whatever the hell you want. I am done with this bullshit game we're playing Tony! Back and forth, yelling at each other because you refuse to admit that you're wrong. It would be so much easier on the entire team if you just listened for once! Well, guess what? Now, you're nothing more than a pathetic dog -"

"Stev-"

"- who can't do anything on your fucking own. Now, you _have_ to listen. It might do you some good for you to see that you are not the 'Invincible Iron Man'. No, you're just a worthless mutt, and I will ensure, with every goddamn bone in my body, that you be treated as such."

The room went silent after Steve's outburst. The team all had a sudden interested in the island's countertop, and it didn't seem like they could peel their eyes away from it. Steve was still towering over Tony, who's tail still remained firmly between his legs. His body was pressed up against the wall, and he didn't dare look up at Steve. Only when the man composed himself and left the room did he finally looked up, stepping out from the wall.

He looked around at his team and the kibble scattered across the floor. When no one made a move to do anything he bolted out of the communal kitchen and ran through the first open door he saw. He ended up under the bed in one of the spare bedrooms. He curled up as tight as he could, back plastered against the wall so he was as far back as possible.

Was that how Steve saw him? Just a worthless piece of shit? No matter what Tony did, he was always criticized. He admits that he should've listened to Cap when he said to wait before going into the witch house. If he had, he wouldn't be in this situation right now. But, the Avengers have been together long enough to know that Tony just does his own thing. He regrets it sometimes, but most of the time he's able to end the battle before the rest of the team is even aware of what was going on. He may be a 'pathetic dog' now, but that didn't mean he couldn't have a say about his life.

After what seemed like a few hours - but really only a few minutes - Tony heard footsteps enter the room. He held his breath, not wanting to see anyone at the moment.

"Tony?" Natasha sighed, "I know you're in here."

Tony closed his eyes, as if that would help him miraculously disappear. He didn't even open them when Natasha crawled under the bed and placed a hand on his back thigh.

"Hey," she tried to grab his attention by moving her hand from his thigh to stomach. Tony tried to scuffle away, but couldn't get much farther. Instead, he moved his head so that it was facing the wall rather than the assassin, hoping she'd get the hint.

Apparently, she took that as a sign to scoot even closer so that she could put her hand on his head. She let out a sigh, "You're not worthless. Steve's just stressed out. Give him some time to cool off a little."

Tony didn't move.

She pursed her lips, "If I was in your position, I'd probably do the exact same to be honest. I know that you've heard it a dozen times already, but we're just looking out for you. Believe it or not, but you're really important to us… yes, _all_ of us, including Cap."

Tony may have opened an eye at that, not quite believing her. She hummed as she pet him behind the ears, he moved into the touch and saw a sliver of a smile from her. They remained like that for a few minutes.

"I think Bruce finished your collar," she said, breaking the silence. That definitely got Tony's attention. He allowed himself to perk up his ears and turn his head towards the spy, staring at her.

"I knew that would've gotten your attention," she said with a chuckle. "C'mon, let's go down there and test it out."

Tony didn't need more encouragement, he waited patiently for Natasha to crawl out from underneath the bed for him to do the same. The pair walked out of the bedroom and to the elevator, and Tony wouldn't be lying if he said he was praying that they didn't run into a certain super-soldier. They successfully got into the elevator and Natasha pushed the button to go down towards Bruce's lab.

Tony couldn't help the excitement that seemed to overtake his body, forgetting the confrontation just a few minutes ago. He couldn't stand still while the elevator made its way down. His fingernails were pattering on the tile floor, and he could see Natasha looking amused by his actions but decided to ignore it. As soon as the door opened, it took all of Tony's might to not burst out towards the door ahead of him. He could see Bruce through the window, and he looked up at Natasha as if demanding she moved faster.

Natasha rolled her eyes, and once they reached the door, she knocked twice and nodded at Bruce. Bruce signalled the pair in, and spared Tony a worried glance before smiling at the dog.

"So, I think I finally finished it. I have to run a few more tests, but if they run well, then you should be able to wear the collar within the hour," Tony's tail started wagging.

Bruce wrapped an arm under Tony's stomach and hoisted him up onto the worktable. Tony peered over Bruce's shoulder and saw the collar laying on another table. Bruce could see where Tony was looking, and went to retrieve the collar. Tony couldn't help the nervous shiver that traveled down his spine. What if this didn't work? He _needed_ this to work.

"Okay, I'm going to put it on now. I can't guarantee it's going to work, but, if I do say so myself, I think I knocked this out of the park," Bruce was slipping the collar around his neck. The collar was red and had a few dials around it so they were touching the front and back of his neck. Bruce was turning some of the dials, and he was explaining that they emitted some sort of frequency that would pick up Tony's brain waves and translate them to actual words. Tony didn't necessarily care how it worked at this point, he just wanted to talk.

"Just one more sec," Bruce's glasses were hanging off his nose as he turned one of the dials in the front. Tony was shaking with anticipation, and when Bruce finally backed away and nodded to him, he experimentally tried to say something.

"Hel- helloooo…" Tony looked up, shocked, and he couldn't contain the smile the crossed his face. "Oh. My. God. Bruce! You are literally the next best person on this planet, only behind me!" Tony was bouncing on his two front feet and he spun around in a circle. Natasha chuckled, "Yep, how'd I know your first words would be about you?" Bruce stood with his hands on his hips, a proud look on his face as he watched his friend become more excited by the minute.

"Woooo! Oh, how I've missed you, voice!" Tony looked happily at his teammates, allowing his tongue to roll out of his mouth. Bruce chuckled once again, and pulled up an interface to presumably jot down notes about his invention.

Natasha shook her head and nodded towards the exit, "Shall we?" Tony nodded his head in return, excited to just be able to participate in conversation with anyone. Before he jumped off the table, he trotted over to where Bruce was sitting and not-so-graciously licked him across his face. "Ugh, Tony!" Bruce used his lab coat sleeve to wipe at his face, but was smiling all the same. He gently nudged the dog away and Tony decided to leave him be - it was the least he could do for his friend after all he did. Natasha hooked an arm under his tiny body and set him on the ground.

"Thanks, Banner," Natasha directed towards the doctor, who just waved his head in return.

"Love you, Brucie-Bear!" Tony said just as Natasha closed the door behind them.

As they headed upstairs, the pair remained silent because all Tony could think about was what exactly he was going to say to each of his teammates. He knew he was going to bash Thor, the jerk kept ratting him out for no reason whatsoever. Clint and Nat would be given a lecture on his ridiculous harness, and he would never wear it again on his watch. He already told Bruce that he was the best - well, second best - person ever, but he would have to remember to remind him as much as possible.

And, well, Steve… It would only be a matter of time. Tony was sure that Steve wouldn't even want to talk to him in the first place, so he probably didn't need to stress as much as he was at the moment. But Tony wouldn't be lying if he said he felt a little guilty for making Steve so stressed out. And he didn't necessarily enjoy getting yelled at by the Captain in front of the entire team. He'd never seen Steve that angry…

When the elevator dinged, it shook him out of his thoughts. Natasha seemed to notice, but didn't comment. Tony trotted in front of Natasha towards the communal living room, where he could see Clint's head sticking up from behind the couch. He was watching some sort of romance movie, and as soon as he noticed that there were other people in the room, he stumbled to turn it off.

"What'cha watching Birdbrain?" He smirked when Clint's mouth dropped to the floor.

"Oh, no… You fixed him?!" the archer looked up at Natasha. She in return shrugged her shoulders, "Well, he's still a dog, so no. We did not fix him." Clint rolled his eyes.

"I may still be a dog, but this is a huge improvement. It'll be just like old times, Barton."

Tony hopped up onto the couch next to Clint where his designated blanket remained from earlier, and sagged in relief. He was beyond excited to be able to talk, but all the excitement seemed to be wearing him out.

Clint changed the station to an action movie, and Natasha took her place on the other side of the couch, successfully sandwiching Tony. Clint moved Tony's head so that it laid across his thighs and his fingers were like magic - scratching in all the right places. Natasha laid her hand on Tony's back, rubbing it back and forth.

He let the background noise of the movie and the petting lull him to sleep, and for the first time that day, he felt comfortable with his predicament.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony was actually coping pretty well, all things considered. Only three days have passed when he started getting into the rhythm of things. He started eating the dog kibble, but only if some sort of wet food was added in. Clint and Natasha would take him on walks, Bruce would bring him to his lab so Tony could 'help' with some of his projects, and Thor may as well be the God of Petting because he nearly lulls Tony to sleep every time he lays a hand on him. Whenever Tony has to use the bathroom, one of his teammates would open the door to his patio where a few patches of grass sufficed as a toilet. The team was starting to act normal around him.

And Steve, well, it was hard to pinpoint what was happening in the guy's mind at times. After the first big argument in the kitchen, Steve seemed to disappear. Tony knew that he was still in the tower after asking JARVIS about his whereabouts. Tony was starting to get worried, to the point where he looked to Bruce for advice on how to go about it when he was in the lab.

"Well, if I were you, I would probably just wait it out. Not to be a jerk, but you two aren't exactly the most compatible teammates. If you go out searching for him, he may take it the wrong way and push away even further," Bruce said while poking a 3D interface model of a DNA strand.

"Yeah… but I feel like if I don't do anything, he'll interpret it as if I don't care. Believe it or not, I actually respect the guy. I don't want to ruin anything we have goin' for us," Tony looked down at his paws.

"And what exactly have you got going for you two?"

"That's... a good question," Tony sighed as he tried to think what they possibly could look eye-to-eye on without breaking out into a screaming match.

"Well, I guess he wouldn't have agreed to move into the tower if he absolutely hated me. I would say that our… relationship? No, not that. Um… companionship? That's better. Our companionship definitely strengthened after Loki. We work together really well when we aren't arguing," Tony nodded along with what he was saying, realizing that they had indeed come a long way since their first meeting on the Helicarrier.

"If you really think reaching out to him first is the way to go, then do it. Always trust your gut. I'm sure this will all work out soon enough either way," Bruce glanced at him, obviously waiting for his friend to make a choice. Tony stood up and leaped from the table to the chair, and looked up at Bruce as he jumped to the floor, "Wish me luck."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once again, Tony had to ask JARVIS where Steve was. It should have been obvious that he was in the gym, countlessly destroying punching bags one after the other. Tony watched as he punched the bag so hard he unhinged it from its hanging post, and it flew across the room. He took this opportunity to cough, which came out more like a gag. Either way, it caught the super-soldier's attention. Both of them tensed up immediately.

"Uh, hey Steve," Tony couldn't quite look him in the eyes, rather concentrating on the wall directly behind him. He assumed Steve already knew about Tony's collar, because he didn't seem all that surprised when he talked.

"Hi," was the reply he got back. Tony sighed, knowing that this was going to be a hard conversation to endure. He got a nervous knot in his stomach, and he realized he should've listened to Bruce and let Steve come to him first. He began walking backwards towards the exit, realizing this was one of his more stupid mistakes.

"I'm, um… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come. Sorry to interrupt, I'm just gonna-"

"No… no. It's okay. You're not interrupting anything," Tony was pleasantly surprised, enough to stop retreating from the gym. Steve started to unravel the tape around his hands, also unable to look his teammate in the eyes.

"I just wanted to check in. Haven't seen you in awhile, so…" Tony trailed off and attempted to shrug his shoulders. He wasn't sure when or how he should bring up their latest conversation, but he knew that was definitely the elephant in the room.

"You know, just been working out a lot," Steve bit his bottom lip, passing the unraveled tape from one hand to the other. Tony was just about to make a snide comment about working out for three full days but bit his tongue. He just had to keep telling himself that he was not here to argue.

"Ah, well… do you wanna go on a walk? I haven't been out yet today, and Clint and Natasha are busy." …. What. The. Hell… Why did he say that? Tony mentally face palmed himself, wondering what was going through his head that made him say _that._ Oh, jeez. He just made the situation a hundred times worse. Steve was gonna say no -

"Ok."

\- and they were probably never gonna speak again after this because Tony just had to go and make it more awkward. Goddammit, goddammit, goddam-… what?

"Come again?"

"Um yeah, I can take you. I just needed to change real quick, but yeah. I'll meet you on the communal floor?" Steve scratched the back of his head.

"Sure, I'll um- I'll meet you up there," Tony nodded his head, utterly shocked at the response. Steve's lips turned upward into the slightest smile and he walked passed Tony to the exit. When Tony heard the elevator ding, alerting him that Steve was heading up to his private floor, he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He hesitantly made his way up to the communal floor, still unsure if this was a trick or not. It couldn't be though, Steve is incapable of that sort of stuff.

Thor, Natasha, and Clint were all on the floor when he got there, and it seemed as though they knew something was up - his face probably gave him away. "Oh no, what did you do?" Tony looked at Clint, his mouth still slightly open, "Uh-" He was cut off when Steve walked into the living room, harness in hand.

"Ready?" Tony nodded and looked back at his other teammates, who looked just as shocked as Tony did at first. He walked over to Steve, and hesitantly let him put the harness on. He hated the damn thing, but unlike when Clint or Natasha put him in it, he didn't make it a struggle for the soldier. The pair made their way to the elevator and waited as it arrived.

"Have a glorious time!" Thor innocently called from his spot on the couch right when the elevator doors closed, oblivious to how big a deal this was. But boy, Tony did pray that they would indeed have a glorious time…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Stark Tower wasn't far from Central Park, so that was where Steve was currently leading him to. It was Thursday, and earlier in the day so not that many people were out, much to Tony's satisfaction. It took them about ten minutes to get to the park, where they began walking on the whirling paths. They didn't really speak much on the walk, sometimes just pointing out some billboards or joking about almost getting run over by taxis. It was okay, though. It seemed as though they were both enjoying getting some fresh air.

It was nice that the park was shaded due to the number of trees, so Tony wasn't dying as much as he usually did when Nat and Clint would take him around the block. However, Steve took longer strides than Natasha, so he did have to trot a little faster than normal. They stopped once they reached 'The Lake' and Steve took a seat on a bench. Surprisingly, Steve patted the spot next to him, and Tony jumped up, glad to get his delicate paws off the rough cement.

They sat in relative silence, which Tony didn't mind. However, he could see that Steve was starting to get a little anxious, so he broke the silence. "Thanks for taking me out. Never thought I'd say it, but I need the exercise," Tony shook his head but let a subtle smile creep across his face when he heard Steve chuckle. He quickly forgot that they were in public, and that it would be quite strange to see a talking dog, so he looked around swiftly to make sure no one was around, glad to see there was nobody.

"Yeah, no problem. It's good for me to get out too. I've been cooped up in the gym for too long," Steve sighed, watching the ducks swimming in the water in front of them. Tony looked up at Steve when he saw the soldier start fiddling with his fingers. Steve glanced down at Tony, "I'm sorry. About what I said before." Tony raised his eyebrows, surprised that the argument was this quick to be brought up, but he shook his head slightly, "No, no it's ok. Really, it was my fault. I was being a pain, I deserved it."

"No, you didn't. I can't imagine what you're going through, and I didn't have any right to assume that you would adjust just like that, in a moment's notice. I should've been more considerate. But, please believe me when I say that you're not worthless, okay? I don't even know where that came from, but you're not, you're quite the opposite," they looked up at each other for a moment before both of their gazes shifted to the ducks.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Well… that conversation went a lot smoother than what Tony had thought it would go. They stayed on the bench for awhile longer before Steve stood up, lightly tugging Tony's leash. Tony stood up and leaped off the bench. They were circling 'The Lake' and came across an area deemed an 'off-leash zone' where there was one other dog running around freely with their owner close by. Tony stopped walking for a second to watch as the dog started rolling around in what looked like the fluffiest grass ever. Steve seemed to notice Tony's attention shifting, and he tugged him over to the section.

After the whole SHIELD incident, Tony would've never thought he'd be let off-leash again in public spaces, so it was shocking when Steve - of all people - unclipped him. Tony looked up at him, uncertain if he was joking around, but when he stuck his chin outward towards the other dog, Tony knew he was given permission to run about.

The tower was big, but there was a lot of fancy - and _expensive_ \- furniture scattered around, and Tony knew that if he damaged anything Pepper would kill him. So, Tony didn't really get to release his energy until Nat and Clint took him outside, and even then, he was attached to a six-foot leash so he couldn't really run without getting tugged back by the spies.

Knowing that this may be his only time to release all his energy, he bolted around the field, as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. Australian Shepherds are known for herding livestock, so he naturally happened to be a very fast runner. He slowed down enough to be able to throw himself into the fluffy grass without hurting himself. He experimentally rolled around a bit, and the grass felt so good brushing against his body. He didn't care how stupid he looked.

He looked up and saw Steve in the distance with his arms crossed over his chest, and he could clearly see that the soldier was wearing an amused grin. Tony turned away from Steve so that the soldier couldn't see Tony's own goofy smile. After a few more rolls in the grass, he reluctantly got up on all fours and shook his fur out. He started trotting over to where Steve was standing, but before he took even a few steps the other dog, a Dalmation, stumbled into him.

The Dalmation crouched real low to the ground, playfully taunting Tony. Tony looked over to Steve - who happened to walk over to the Dalmation's owner and start a conversation in a matter of seconds - and saw that neither of them watching their pets. Unsure of what to do, Tony mimicked the Dalmation. Apparently in dog language the gesture meant it was now allowed for the other dog to pounce and successfully tackle Tony to the ground. Tony was flat on his back in a matter of microseconds.

Tony tried to roll away from the Dalmation, but found that he was pinned to the ground. The Dalmation playfully bit Tony's front leg, giving him the opportunity to twist out of the pile. He got up real quick and dashed straight for Steve, who had the audacity to laugh at the dogs' behavior. Tony looked over his shoulder and sure enough, the Dalmation was right on his tail.

By the time Tony looked straight ahead, he nearly collided with Steve's legs. Luckily the super-soldier leaped out of the way so that wouldn't happen. He could hear Steve laughing as he circled back around, this time successfully hiding behind his legs. Tony was finally able to catch his breath when the Dalmation's owner took the opportunity to click the leash back into place. The lady chuckled, "Sorry, Daisy can be quite energetic."

Tony's face dropped at the fact that he got tackled and chased by a female. Steve seemed to notice Tony's shock and smugly looked down at him, "Ah, don't worry about it. Tony here definitely got a run for his money. Might do him some good to know he got outrun by a lady, he thinks he's the top-dog 'round here." Tony glared at Steve before pouting as both humans laughed. Even Daisy gleamed at him. How dare she.

"Well, it was really nice meeting you Steve! I'm afraid we have to get going."

Steve stuck out his hand, the gentleman he was, "Yes, it was nice to meet you too, Molly. Maybe see you another time," Tony missed the wink Molly directed towards Steve. A few seconds passed as Steve and Tony watched Molly and Daisy leave the area. They both looked at each other, Steve curling into himself as giggles - fucking _giggles_ \- took over his body.

"Ha Ha. Very funny, laugh it up. I just want to let you know that I was not prepared for the surprise attack, okay? Clearly Daisy has more experience being a dog, so how was I supposed to know whether she was playing or trying to kill me…" Tony trailed off as Steve's laughing fit settled down.

Steve wiped tears from his eyes, clearly from laughing too hard, "Ah, that was most I've laughed in a long time. You should've seen your face," Steve erupted into another giggling fit. Tony couldn't help the small smile creep across his face. Steve was never this happy around him.

"Okay, I think we should head back now. But this was really fun. We should do this more often," Steve said, a more serious tone taking over. Tony nodded, noticing other people starting to roam too close for comfort, not wanting to risk being overheard.

They started towards the park's exit, and on the way out Steve noticed an ice cream vendor. He tugged Tony towards the cart, and Tony was utterly surprised when Steve ordered two vanilla ice creams, one in a cone and the other in a cup. After Steve paid, the cup was placed in front of Tony and both started enjoying their ice cream cones in the August heat. They were both silent, and Tony could only assume that Steve was feeling the same way about how this little 'together time' ended up.

Tony silently licked at his ice cream, savoring the vanilla flavor, and smiled into his ice cream knowing this was by far the best moment he had spent as a dog, and possibly the best time he's ever spent with Steve…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The pair made it back to the tower just in time for lunch. Clint was making his legendary grilled cheese, and Tony found that his dog bowl was already filled with kibble and a scoop of tuna. Although the ice cream helped to hold him over, Tony found that he was actually pretty hungry. He took a few bites, and nearly moaned at how good the tuna tasted. He finished off the bowl just as his teammates were getting served their sandwiches. A newfound hunger arose because damn did those smell good.

"So, what did you guys do?" Natasha said before taking a generous bite of the cheesy food.

"Just walked around Central Park," Steve said looking down at Tony, a small smile creeping onto his face. Tony knew where this was going. Steve talked about some of Tony's encounters with various critters, Central Park itself, the ice cream, and as if saving the best for last, Steve went into details about Tony's little play date with Daisy. Of course his teammates had something to say about that.

"Y'know, in my defense, the attack was totally unexpected, okay?"

"It is indeed okay, Son of Stark. Sometimes us men underestimate the power women behold. You should not be embarrassed about getting defeated by dear Daisy." Everyone knew Thor was trying to lighten the situation, but nobody could hold in their snorts when Tony pouted.

Steve sighed and absentmindedly ripped a piece of his grilled cheese and held it down to Tony. Everyone stopped laughing and watched as Steve realized what he was doing, but all he did was shrug and wiggle the piece more. Tony smiled up at him and snagged the piece out of his hand, moaning as the cheese melted in his mouth. Light banter started up again at the table, but Tony was too busy thinking that Steve and him were probably going to end up alright.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ever since Tony and Steve went for their stroll in Central Park together a week ago, the atmosphere in the tower brightened up immensely. Granted that Tony never seemed to be unsupervised, he noticed that the entire team was always with him instead of just one or two individuals. Unlike before, they now seem as though they enjoy each others' company, instead of be forced to.

He still did his daily activities, but others were joining in. For example, today, Bruce voluntarily left his lab to join Natasha, Clint and Tony for his walk. And earlier that morning, Thor joined Steve on his morning run, which Tony had just started waking up for as well - Tony was _very_ reluctant, but Steve insisted it'd be good for him. But on top of it all, they all started eating dinner together every night. They would sit in their 'designated' seats, Tony on the floor in between Steve and Bruce, and just talk. It was nice, and as aforementioned, it didn't feel forced for once.

After dinner that night, the group migrated out into the communal living room. Even though Tony had joined Steve on his morning run _and_ went on his daily walk with the pair of assassins, he still felt like he had too much energy. He couldn't sit still as everyone else settled onto the couch.

"Do you have to pee or something?" Clint said after noticing Tony's jittering. He was smirking a little, still amused that Tony has to ask someone in order to relieve himself.

"No. I don't know, something seems off though. I feel like I could run for hours, holy shit. Can someone please help me stop moving, goddammit," Tony bit his lip in frustration, trying to stop moving for one damn second, finding it near impossible. Just as he thought he had gotten a lid on it, Clint protruded a tennis ball - just one of the many toys the team has bought him - from next to the couch.

"Not in the tower, Clint," Steve warned, but Clint threw it down the hall anyways. The first time any of them tried to play fetch with him, he thought he was going to mangle them for thinking so little of him. But, he found that it was actually quite enjoyable and burned off a lot of his energy. So, he couldn't help it when he instantly bolted down the hall, successfully retrieving the ball and bringing it back to Clint, tail wagging as fast as it could.

"Clint," Steve urged on again, his voice becoming more serious, but was seemingly ignored once again. Steve finally gave up trying after Clint threw the ball a few more times, each time Tony dropping it on his lap ready to fetch once more. Everyone started ignoring the two, and turned their attention to the TV screen, watching some comedy show.

Clint kept throwing it down the hallway, careful to avoid the luxurious decorations scattered about. Tony also knew to avoid them as well, knowing full well Pepper would have his head if one thing was out of place. So, Tony was a little more cautious than he would be if he was outside. Maybe Steve should've been more persistent about stopping their little game, because although Clint's aim was impeccable, he couldn't control how slippery the floor was.

Clint threw the tennis ball, but it didn't travel along its usual trajectory, which was straight down the hallway, lightly bouncing off one of the spare bedroom doors and into Tony's mouth. Instead, right when Clint was releasing the ball, Thor accidentally nudged his arm, so it veered to the left. Tony tried to correct his path so that he could anticipate where the ball was going to end up, but the bottom of his paws had the tiniest amount of hair sticking out from in between the pads and he was running too quick, so he couldn't help but slide across the floor.

Before Tony could do anything about it, his body slipped out from underneath him and he was heading full force into a sturdy cabinet, where three very expensive crystal vases happened to be set on top.

Steve heard the commotion before he saw it, and it was like he was seeing it in slow motion. He watched as Tony's body collided - _hard_ \- with the cabinet. He leapt to his feet but was too slow as all three of the vases tumbled off the side, falling directly on the dog right beneath. He couldn't do anything as the crystal decorations shattered against Tony's body. Tony yelped in pain when the last vase hit him directly on the head.

Tony briefly heard panicked voices surrounding him, so he opened his eyes just a sliver. The image he saw reminded him of the first time he woke up in this body in Maine, everyone staring down at him with pure worry in their eyes. He heard a voice telling him to stay awake, but the thought of sleeping was all too inviting. So, he allowed for himself to close his eyes and succumb to the deep slumber taking over his body.


	4. Chapter 4

The moment Tony slipped into unconsciousness, everyone just kind of stopped. They stopped trying to tell Tony to stay awake, stopped trying to pick up the shards surrounding the dog's body. Everyone was so panicked that they couldn't think clearly, until Steve bolted up and towards the bathroom. He returned with a towel and nearly slipped on the shattered crystal himself from how fast he was moving.

He scooped Tony up and wrapped him in the towel, applying pressure to his head where blood was gushing out of a large cut, effectively turning his white fur a deep crimson. He yelled for any of his teammates to get a set of keys so they could go to the nearest animal hospital - where that was? Steve had no idea, but that was where he was going. Natasha bolted out of the kitchen with a set of keys dangling from her fingers while Clint already hit the elevator's down arrow, holding the doors open.

Steve and Natasha quickly headed down to the garage, and got into one of Tony's Audis. Luckily, Tony had customized all of his cars so they had JARVIS installed, and after quietly observing the accident from one of his many interfaces, the AI already had the navigation set to the nearest animal clinic. Steve mentally made a note to thank him later.

Natasha sped out of the garage, following JARVIS's directions while Steve tried to pick some of the larger shards out of Tony's fur, trusting Nat to find the way. Steve never thought he would be okay with anyone speeding while he was in the car, but found that he was actually demanding the assassin to go faster. If Natasha did run a few red lights, he didn't say anything.

They arrived at their destination in a little less than ten minutes, and both frantically scrambled inside. It was late at night, so luckily there wasn't anyone waiting for their appointments. Even if there were people waiting, Steve was sure they would've had the common decency to let them get seen first. The sight itself was horrifying, most of Tony's white fur was red, and Steve unbeknownst had a few tears rolling down his cheeks.

The receptionist was quick to run to the back and return to the lobby, followed by a veterinarian. Natasha opted to wait in the lobby, stating that it'd be more crowded if she was there. Steve didn't argue, he just knew he had to get Tony help. He quickly followed the vet to one room, and was requested to lay Tony on the examination table, which he reluctantly obliged to. This was totally out of Steve's field of expertise. It was best to not argue.

The vet used his fingers to open Tony's eyelids so he could shine a light in his eyes. When he was satisfied with what he saw, he moved on to the next pressing matter: the huge cut across Tony's head. He gently prodded at the surrounding skin, grimacing. Steve could hear him mumble something about stitches under his breath, as if talking to himself. The vet seemed less rushed after checking out Tony's head, which made Steve relax a little, assuming Tony wouldn't have to go into emergency surgery. The man asked Steve what happened without looking over his shoulder and Steve tried to explain in fullest detail about the accident. He just nodded in response.

As the vet continued feeling around, he 'tsked' with his tongue and sighed. Steve's nervous expression must've caught the eye of the vet, who was quick to address him. "I know that you're nervous right now, and you have every right to be. But just know that he should be fine. I'm just going to take him to the back to get some x-rays." He went to scoop up Tony, and Steve couldn't help but reach out to take the dog from him, pulling his arms back at the last second knowing the doctors will take care of him.

After being left in the room for a few seconds, a nurse came in with a reassuring smile, "If you want to wait in the lobby with your friend, you're more than welcome to. We'll let you know as soon as Dr. Browning finishes up." Steve nodded slowly and shakily stood up. The nurse led him back to the lobby, and went to retrieve both him and Natasha cups of water. And just like that, Tony was out of Steve's grasp and the soldier had no choice but to wait.

Natasha had already signed all the paperwork presented by the receptionist. Now it was a matter of waiting to take their teammate home. By the time the doctor returned to the lobby, Bruce, Thor and Clint were there as well. Their little group was silent, worried expressions plastered on their faces. All of them perked up - Steve actually stood up - when the doctor approached them.

"Well, your pup is gonna be alright. There was nothing too seriously damaging, and you were very smart to bring him in immediately. He is actually quite lucky that the vase was made of crystal rather than glass or ceramic. If that was the case, his injuries would require a lot more treatment. For the time being, I put him on some meds to keep him relaxed and comfortable. However, he is still unconscious, so I would like to keep him here overnight. I just want to make sure that everything's all set so he can go back in the best condition possible. I will need you to sign some paperwork, giving us permission to keep him," the man nodded as the receptionist protruded another clipboard towards Steve, who signed it quickly.

"Thank you. You can go back to your home now, get some rest. I promise we'll take good care of, um-" He looked down at the paperwork Natasha filled out, which had Tony's name on it "-Tony. But you should get some rest."

Steve begrudgingly stood up, unsure if he should leave Tony alone. But he knew that if he stayed, he'd be more of a nervous wreck. At least at home he could find something to occupy himself. The group left the clinic and got in their respective cars. When they arrived back at the tower, it seemed as though no one was going to sleep peacefully that night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, Tony started to rouse. His head felt extremely fuzzy, and his thoughts were clouded. He winced when he opened his eyes to the bright light coming in through the windows, and immediately closed them again. He groaned at the dull pain radiating off his entire body. He heard someone approaching him, but shifted his body enough so he was facing away from them, not really ready to wake up yet. Luckily, after a few seconds, Tony could hear the person's heavy footfalls heading away from him.

He rolled back over, and came face-to-face with some not-so welcoming bars. Panic rose up in his throat as he looked around, and he found himself locked in a cage of sorts. He tried to back away from the bars and collided with the back wall, whimpering as his side throbbed. He backed into the corner, making himself as small as possible. He assumed that his captor would be back in a matter of time.

He tried to not make any noise as he thought about how this came to be. Surely his team wouldn't have gotten rid of him… right? He involuntarily whimpered at the thought, remembering how well they were getting along. That couldn't be it. He had to be here for something else. Then, a pang of pain from his head made him yelp loud enough to alert his captor.

The door opened almost immediately and revealed a larger man in a white lab coat. He wore his glasses so that they were on the tip of his nose. He went straight for Tony's cage and stopped before reaching for a clipboard. He looked over it, then looked at Tony, and looked at it again. He jotted something down and went to open Tony's cage. When Tony snapped at him, he backed away hands raised, trying to show he wasn't a threat. Well, Tony just wasn't taking any chances, so he let out a low growl. The man hummed his displeasure, but retreated out of the room once more.

When Tony looked back up when the door opened - man, did this guy ever give up? - his mouth opened in surprise as Steve was standing there. He wagged his tail, glad that his initial thought of his team giving him up wasn't true. He barked happily and Steve smiled. Unlike the previous attempt to be taken out of the cage, Tony allowed Steve to pick him up and bring him to another room, unfortunately followed by the man.

Once Steve was sure Tony wasn't going to make a break for it, he sat down in one of the plush seats that were lined up along the wall. Tony almost fell off the table when the man advanced towards him with his now-gloved hands. Tony, once again, growled his displeasure. He only stopped when Steve flatly stated his name, silently warning him of the consequences if he continued.

The man nodded gratefully at Steve, then went to examine Tony's entire body, starting with his head - which was throbbing, but Tony was too preoccupied to notice. "So Tony here had to be stitched up in a few places, specifically, his head, left flank, and right hind leg. I'm going to bandage him before you leave so he won't rip them out. From what I can see, nothing serious happened to his head in terms of internal damage. He may have a minor concussion, so just keep a close eye on him for the next few days." Now that Tony was fully awake, the details of the accident suddenly came to him. Jeez, no wonder why he was in so much pain! He was almost made into a dog-shishkebab…

"The wounds will become more painful by the end of the day, so I prescribed him some pain meds to make him more comfortable. Other than that, he is all set to go and should fully recover in a week or so. The stitches will dissolve in a matter of time, so you don't have to come back. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, we are always a phone call away," the man stuck a hand out to Steve, who shook it in response.

"Thank you so much Dr. Browning. I'm sure Tony appreciates your help as well," Steve glanced at Tony, raising his eyebrows to silently tell Tony to cooperate. Tony faked a playful yip, just to make Steve happy. The doctor chuckled, "I'm sure he does. Here, I'll lead you out."

After Steve signed all the necessary paperwork for Tony's release, the pair left the clinic. Tony was grateful to be able to leave that place, not a fan of being poked and prodded. Steve carried him to one of Tony's car and placed him in the passenger's seat. Tony looked down at himself and saw all the bandages. They were wrapped a little too tight for comfort, so he used his front teeth to pull at him. Steve sighed before gently opening the dog's jaw to make him release the gauze.

Tony could blatantly see that the excitement of the accident had taken its toll on the super-soldier. He had bags under his eyes, presumably from lack of sleep from the previous night. He was tense and looked ready to jump in front of the frail dog at any threat. He kept stealing glances Tony all the way to the tower, afraid that he was just going to disappear at any moment.

Tony sighed, "I'm sorry." It was all he could manage, he was sorry for - once again - not listening to Steve, for being reckless without thinking, but most of all for worrying his teammates. He knew they were all looking out for him, and if they were in his shoes he would undoubtedly be a panicked mess right now. Ugh, why did he mess everything up? He laid his head on his paws, and yelped loudly when the stitches jostled and his head started to shoot sharp pains.

Steve was quick to pull over to the side of the street, and he looked clueless regarding what to do. He laid his hand on Tony's neck and scratched gently, Tony involuntarily leaning into the touch. "I'm just glad you're okay," was all Steve said, but it was quite obvious he wanted to say something else. Tony was kind of hoping that he would scream at him or something, knowing the following silence was much more dangerous.

Steve stopped petting Tony, and pulled back out into the street. Once again, silence filled the car. When they reached the tower, Tony attempted to stand up so he could walk, only to collapse when the world spun around him. Steve was picking him up before Tony could protest, he felt very useless at the moment. Steve carried him into the elevator and pressed the button for the communal floor. Tony was starting to drift asleep by the time they reached it.

As soon as the pair walked through the doors, everyone stood up. Steve set Tony down on his blanket on the couch, and went into the kitchen to put Tony's pain meds away. Everyone settled down on the couch, all wary of the dog next to them. Tony glanced at all of his teammates before whining at the pounding from his head. He closed his eyes and curled up in a little ball, ashamed at himself for being so pathetic, for being the cause of the amount of worry in the room.

Tony didn't see all the sympathetic looks directed at him, but he did feel a hand lay on his back. It felt like Thor's. He heard the TV turn on, glad that the team wasn't addressing him. He wasn't in the mood for the inevitable 'Talk' about his latest screw up.

Tony kept his eyes closed to block out the pain, and it wasn't proving effective. He groaned at another pang swept through his body, and the hand stopped as if afraid of causing more harm. Tony shifted to lean into the touch, needing Thor to continue so he had something else to focus on.

After a few minutes, his throbbing head dulled down as he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time Tony woke up again, it was late in the afternoon. The only reason why he woke up was because he was incredibly itchy. The bandages weren't helping one bit, but everytime he tried tugging them off, one of his teammates was quick to stop him. At the moment, Thor was the only one in the room with him from what he could tell. Everyone else must have been training, in the lab, or on their own floors.

The TV was on, so Tony tried to pay attention to that to take his mind off the itchiness. He looked to Thor, who was damn near drifting off completely - he was constantly jerking to stay awake, but the show that was on was quickly losing his attention.

It was only a matter of time before Thor's head was thrown back and his mouth hanging open, his snoring causing Tony's head to throb. Tony looked around to make sure he was alone before he started to rip his bandages off - quietly enough to not wake the snoring god. He was able to get his leg bandage off, but the constant itch from his head kept bugging him.

He used his uninjured hind leg to scratch at the stitches, glad to not be interrupted. And man, did that feel good. He kept scratching, unaware that the stitches started to tear slightly. Blood started dripping out, once again staining his white fur red, but he didn't notice. He closed his eyes in pleasure as he scratched even harder, causing it to tear open even more. He nearly punctured himself in the brain when a set of hands grabbed at his paw, causing him to flinch.

"Tony!" Bruce was in his lab coat, he must've just came up from his lab for a quick snack. He had a worried expression plastered across his face, and Tony wasn't sure why. Then, he saw that his paw was also red, and sucked in a breath. Bruce was pulling tissues out of the tissue box on the little table next to the couch and was pressing them to the open wound. Thor was now awake too, and he immediately apologized, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for this to occur. I must've fallen into a slumber." Thor scratched the back of his neck, a guilty look quickly taking over his sleep-driven face.

"It's okay, Thor. Can you do me a favor though?" Thor stood immediately, ready to do whatever Bruce asked.

"Can you wet a towel from the kitchen? And you'll also see a package on the table, Steve picked it up this morning. Can you grab it for me?" Thor nodded enthusiastically, glad to be of assistance. He practically sprinted towards the kitchen.

"Oh, Tony. I really didn't want to do this," Bruce mumbled. Tony had no idea what he didn't want to do, but it couldn't be good by the look on his science bro's face. And the fact that Steve was somehow involved meant that it probably wasn't going to be enjoyable for Tony. Thor came back with both a wet towel and an unidentifiable box. Bruce first took the towel and dabbed at the area around the wound, cleaning up some of the blood.

"Hey Thor, can you hold Tony for a sec," Bruce said as he went to go open the box. Thor picked Tony up and set him in his lap, wrapping his arms around his tiny body. Tony tried an experimental squirm, and found he was not gonna be moving by his own free will anytime soon. His breathing started to hitch, wondering why Thor was holding him so tight. Then, he saw what was in the box and tried squirming even harder.

Bruce was holding a medium sized piece of plastic, and Tony could tell immediately that it was one of those dog cones. "No Bruce! No no no! Please Brucie, I promise I won't scratch again, please. This is me begging, Tony Stark actually _begging._ I thought you've always wanted to see that!" He tried struggling even more, now knowing why Thor was tasked with this. Thor was actually a huge pain in the ass ever since this started.

"I'm sorry, Tony. But Steve was told that if you scratched your head, this would be necessary. We were being too lenient, and now because of that, you tore your stitches," Bruce at least had the decency to look guilty. He attempted to strap the cone around Tony's neck, groaning as the billionaire kept moving his head. Thor eventually held his head tight enough so Bruce could easily put it on. He adjusted the straps so that there was no way Tony could slip it off.

Bruce backed up at the same time Thor loosened his vice grip, as if he was expecting Tony to bite him. Instead, Tony shook his head with all his might, trying to dislodge the cone but to no avail. He groaned, frustrated and embarrassed, and he turned so his back was to his teammates. Some would say he was pouting, but Tony would say he was being disrespected.

Thor laid a hand on his back, and Bruce sighed, picking up the bandages that Tony ripped off. "You're lucky I know how to perform simple stitches, or else we'd have to go back to the vet," Bruce stated flatly as he headed to the closet in the hallway, where the medical supplies were. He threw the bandages away, and grabbed the first aid kit.

Tony still had his back turned to the doctor when Thor picked him up once again, turning him around so Bruce had access to his head. Tony whined when Bruce dabbed the wound again with an antiseptic, causing the cut to sting. "Sorry, sorry…" Bruce whispered as he dabbed some more. It was a good thing Thor was holding him, or he would've jumped away from the pain.

Tony closed his eyes when Bruce pulled out the suture kit, definitely not a fan of needles. Bruce put on a numbing gel before, and now he was poking and prodding at Tony's head, sewing up the tear. It didn't hurt, but the pressure made Tony whimper. Bruce finished the stitches under ten minutes, and went to put the kit away when the rest of the team walked in. They all must've been training in the gym because they each were sweaty and had water bottles.

"Well that didn't take long," Clint said looking at Tony, trying to hide his smile.

"I'm really, _really_ not in the mood," Tony growled from his place on the couch. He made to get up, but the cone threw his balance off and he flipped off the couch. Luckily the floor was carpet, or else that really could've hurt. Everyone in the room was laughing, even Steve who chuckled before going to pick up Tony.

"God this is embarrassing," Tony mumbled under his breath, but Steve apparently heard.

"I know, I know. But the doc said you should be all set by the end of the week. It's only for a few more days," Steve said as he adjusted the cone. Tony casted his eyes down, glad that his fur hid the red blush creeping along his entire body. Steve set him upright on the floor, allowing him to gain his bearings. He took a few experimental steps and when he felt comfortable enough, he trotted out of the room away from the rest of his teammates.

The rest of the team sighed, but made no effort to get up and chase him. "I feel bad," Bruce said as he rubbed at his temples. Everyone nodded in agreement, and Steve pursed his lips, "Thor, have you heard anything about Loki's whereabouts?"

Thor shook his head, "Nay, I was unable to track him. It seems as though he is using magic of some sorts to hide his location. Heimdall couldn't see him, and he has the ability to spot anyone in the Nine Realms. Loki will only make himself be noticed when he wants to be." Thor obviously wasn't happy about that, his shoulders sagging.

"I wish we could do _something._ I hate Loki," Clint mumbled from his spot on the couch. Usually Thor would've defended his brother, but he must've been pretty upset seeing as he didn't move a muscle.

"We just have to give Tony space. He's more worried about his dignity than his form at this point," Natasha shrugged and reached for the TV remote. Steve knew she was right, and he had to physically make himself sit next to her to keep him from running to his embarrassed teammate. She turned on a comedy show, and the team reluctantly watched the program, each of them wanting to go comfort their resident genius.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tony trotted to the spare bedroom on the communal floor, and went to hide under the bed but the cone made that impossible. He growled in frustration, shaking to try to dislodge the cone once more but to no avail. He flopped down in the corner, scooting behind a small dresser so no one would see him. This was the worst thing that has ever happened to him, how dare Bruce - _his Science Bro_ \- do this to him. He's never been more embarrassed in his life.

He curled up, silently praying for Loki to pop up and change him back. He knew that would never happen, but a man - or dog - could hope… Damn, he couldn't even lay comfortably, the cone was pressed against his face. He closed his eyes, trying to think of anything Loki would want from him. But in reality, Tony knew this is exactly what Loki wanted - for him to be humiliated and vulnerable. He involuntarily whimpered, knowing that there was no chance he would be turning back soon.

He must've fell asleep because he wasn't in the corner but rather the bed later that day. Steve was also sleeping next to him, hand in his fur. He closed his eyes, relishing in the peace and glad that he wasn't being lectured at the moment.

He was almost asleep again and found that he was happy that he could just relax without having to worry about anything. But things typically didn't work in favor of Tony's preferences. Just as he was slipping back into unconsciousness, he awoke with a jolt and whimpered when the Avengers alarm sounded throughout the tower.

Steve was out of bed and down the hall before Tony could even register what was going on. His heightened hearing didn't help either as his head pounded every time it rung out. Luckily JARVIS must've noticed because the alarm seized in the room. Tony would have to remember to thank him somehow later. He uncurled from himself and went out into the hallway on uneasy legs.

The team, each of them in their uniform, were all gathered in the living room. Tony overheard Steve telling them that some bots were attacking Downtown, and they needed to move immediately. The team, as if rehearsed, all turned towards Tony with a pointed look, silently telling him to stay put. On that note, Tony was left alone. All he could do now was sit there and wait for them to return.


	5. Chapter 5

The bots were defeated within a matter of an hour, and the team returned back all sweaty and gross. Tony watched the whole ideal on the local news station and knew he wouldn't have to worry. The bots were poorly constructed and the idiot who designed them didn't take into consideration how vibranium could easily destroy them with one hit. But there was a lot of them, making it a more tedious task which took the team a longer time to complete.

When they arrived back, Tony was lounging on the couch when Clint picked him up and placed him on his lap. "Well that was a waste of my time," he mumbled to himself. He sighed and started to pet Tony's stomach.

"For once, I'm glad that I didn't have to suit up," Tony replied, letting out a soft moan when Clint scratched in the right spot.

"Well, it's not over yet. We have to get to the helicarrier for debriefing," Steve looked worn down himself, obviously not excited about having to deal more with the robots.

"Ew, that's gross. Have fun I guess," Tony's face twisted with disgust.

"Yeah, that's the thing…" Steve drew out. Tony looked at Steve, confusion overtaking his face. Steve looked up but refused to make eye contact with the shepherd.

"Capsicle, out with it," Tony rolled his eyes after Steve shrugged.

"Fury is starting to get suspicious about your whereabouts and graciously asked for you to come to the debrief. I don't think the whole 'oh, he's out doing business' shit is working anymore, it's been over a month," Natasha said, leaning on the doorway. She shrugged her shoulders and turned back into the kitchen.

Tony took a few seconds to absorb this, and the moment he did he lept up out of Clint's lap. He tried to jump off the couch so he could hide, but Thor (once again, seriously?!) snatched him out of the air, as if he was anticipating Tony's actions. Tony sagged in Thor's arms, knowing there was no way he would be able to escape his vice grip. He looked pleadingly at Steve, "Steve, please. I can't let him see me like this. He'll never let this down! At least take the cone off!"

"I know, I know. We tried to push it off as long as we could, but he knows something's up. It's better if we bring you to him rather than let him make this discovery on his own. And sorry, I can't take it off, doctor's orders," Steve stated with a guilty look on his face.

Tony was desperate and quickly turned to his other teammates, hoping someone would come to his rescue and not make him a victim of Fury's ridicule. When none of them seemed to be leaping to the occasion, he huffed and refused to acknowledge that he was about to face his worst nightmare.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The team, and reluctantly Tony, made it to SHIELD headquarters within the hour. The quinjet touched down on the roof, and Tony considered re-enacting his first visit here, but thought better of it. He was sitting on one of the benches in the back of the quinjet and had to be forcibly knocked off it by Natasha when Steve opened the back hatch - hell, Tony wasn't going to make it easy for them, the longer it took for them to make him cooperate, the longer he didn't have to see the Pirate.

They got out onto the roof and made their way inside. Luckily the team decided to let Tony keep some of his dignity by not putting on his leash - it was obvious Fury was waiting for the day where they had to put a leash on Tony Stark, and today was not that day. Just like the first day, SHIELD agents left and right were cooing at the dog, and Tony couldn't help but hide behind Steve so less people would notice him, obviously embarrassed to no end. And what made it even worse was the cone, acting as a spotlight that captured everyone's attention. He considered asking the team to take it off but knew they wouldn't oblige.

They reached the conference room deep within the headquarters, and each took their usual seats at the table. Tony was shaking with anticipation, making it obvious he did not want to be there. The door opened, and low and behold the man himself walked in, "Stark better have his ass in here or-" Fury sweeped his eyes around the table and laid his eyes on the sole dog. Tony stared right back. Fury broke his gaze to look at the rest of the team, and they all caught sudden interest in another part of the room. Fury's eye brows narrowed as he shot another glare at the dog, finally seeming to understand.

Then, the opposite of what everyone was thinking was going to happen happened. Instead of the blatant screaming everyone was expecting, Fury started to giggle. Not once in Tony's life - or the rest of the team's for that matter - has he _ever_ seen Fury, of all people, _giggle._ Tony started to bubble up with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"This has _got_ to be the bes-" Fury continued through another round of giggles, "This takes the cake. Jeez, Stark, if I'm being honest, this is the funniest thing I've ever seen." He hunched over himself trying to contain his laughter. Tony could see that the rest of the team didn't know what to do, but Steve could see that Tony was going to burst at any moment, so he stepped up.

"All joking aside, this is a serious situation and I think we all would appreciate it if we treated it as such." Steve set his shoulders, as if trying to intimidate the Director. The rest of the team also seemed to sit up straighter, causing a sense of pride swell up in Tony.

"Oh Captain, you gotta learn how to lighten up," he gestured towards Tony, "It's not like he can understand us… or can he?" A more serious tone overtook Fury as he looked towards Tony.

Tony curled his lip to show his canines as he hopped onto the table and walked towards Fury, "Yes, I _can_ understand everything you're saying, Mike Wazowski, and I'd appreciate it if you'd, oh I don't know, actually seemed to care that one of your top hitters for your little dream team is out of commission."

Fury set his shoulders back, puffing out his chest. Tony tried to do the same, but the cone wasn't helping one bit. Fury smirked a little, "Of course, Stark. My apologies. Now, how do we get Mr. Weiner here back to normal?"

"Oh, you're dead," Tony went to leap but his hind legs were grabbed by Clint, who dragged him back into his lap. Fury smiled at him, loving the fact that Tony was so easy to control in this state - and easy to piss off as well. Clint wrapped his arms around Tony's torso so he couldn't make a move against Fury.

Steve sighed, but addressed Fury, "We just have to wait it out. Loki's the mastermind behind this and he is the only one who can turn him back. Pepper's been handling the press, and we've ensured that no one, besides us, gets any crazy ideas about what happened to Tony."

Fury clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "So, it's obvious there is nothing we can do if Loki is involved. I guess just keep doing what you're doing and we'll be sure to keep our eyes peeled." Fury shook his head and waved his hand as if shooing away the team. Tony gave one last growl to show that although he agreed, he was still pissed at the man.

Fury watched as Clint placed Tony on the floor, and laughed when Tony got caught on the doorway because of the oversized cone. Tony shook with embarrassment and glared up at Fury, as if daring him to say anything. Luckily Fury took the hint and kept his mouth shut, or at least until he reached the elevator that headed to the roof, "Bye Stark! It's nice to see you put on a leash for once." Tony snarled but didn't dare look back.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The team boarded the quinjet and made their way back to the tower, Tony still annoyed at the entire meeting. He jumped up on the seat he first sat on when he first transformed, and looked back on the past to only realize that they weren't getting any further in their search for Loki. It was already nearing October and Tony was nowhere near where he wanted to be.

The quinjet landed, shaking Tony out of his thoughts. As the ramp lowered to allow the team to exit, he stretched out like a cat and felt satisfied as his bones cracked. Clint patted his back as he collected his quiver of arrows and his sleek bow - yes, courtesy of Stark Industries. He hopped down and made his way back into the tower.

"Well, that sucked," he said as he jumped up onto his spot on the couch.

"I know, but at least it's over and you don't have to worry about facing Fury in the future," Natasha said as she sat next to him. She grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels while absentmindedly combing her fingers through Tony's belly fur. He moaned at the touch and scooted closer so he could put his head on her lap.

"Come on, get up," Steve ruffled Tony's head, shaking him out of his stupor. Tony groaned, "Why, we just got back." Steve just chuckled as he clipped Tony's leash to his collar.

"Why? Because you didn't go on your walk yet," Steve gave an experimental tug.

"No, I'm not going out looking like a fucking satellite dish," Tony tugged back on the leash.

"C'mon, you don't- well, maybe you do a little but for real, you need the exercise," Steve tugged again.

"What part of 'no' don't you understand," Tony plopped back down onto the couch. Steve sighed but went to pick him up. He tucked the small dog under his armpit and waved to the rest of the team, "I'll be back in a little."

"Steve, STEVE. You _better_ put me down right now or I swear, I will- I'm, um, I'm gonna take a shit in your shoes. There, you want me to make nasty dump in your lovely velcro New Balance's, huh?" Tony tried to kick him in the side but his short legs couldn't reach. Steve ignored him as they made there way down to the lobby in the elevator.

Steve gently placed Tony down when the elevator reached the lobby, and once again gained the attention of all his employees. He looked down and refused to make eye contact with anyone. Steve looked down and felt bad but knew where he was bringing Tony would cheer him up. They walked a few blocks and neither said a word to each other. When they reached their destination, Steve looked down at Tony to see his reaction.

"No way, you didn't," Tony looked up, eyes wide as saucers.

"Yes way, I did. C'mon, there's a few people inside who I know would like to see you," Steve tugged on the leash and Tony let himself follow. They made their way inside and Tony couldn't help but smile, totally disregarding the cone wrapped around his neck. Steve walked up to the receptionist who greeted him with a tight smile, "Hello, welcome to Stark Industries. How can I help you?"

"Hi, we're here to see Ms. Potts." The receptionist - Tony recognized as Debby - looked him up and down and picked up the phone. "Hello Ms. Potts, did you have an appointment with a," she turned to Steve and asked for his name, which he gave with a nod, "a Steve?" She paused, and Tony assumed that Pepper was talking, "Yes, he does have a dog with him - yes ma'am - okay, sounds good, I'll send them right up." Debby hung up the phone, "If you take the elevator to the fourth floor, Ms. Potts' office is straight down the hall." Steve thanked her and tugged on Tony's leash.

Steve lead the pair into the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. This was almost as exciting as when Tony first got his collar. He hasn't seen Pepper since this all began, and he frankly missed her. They weren't a couple anymore - Tony couldn't blame her, the uncertainty that came with superhero business was a lot to handle - but they were still friends, much to Tony's relief.

When they reached the floor, Tony tugged ahead, urging Steve to hurry along, "Okay, okay," he chuckled when he knocked on the door. After hearing for Pepper's voice Steve pushed the door open.

"Hey, long time no see," Pepper was in her chair and smiled at the pair. Tony looked up at her and smiled, then looked at Steve when he unclipped his leash. Tony ran over to his friend and leaped into her lap, "Woah, hi Tony," she scratched behind his ears, expertly avoiding the cone.

"Jeez it's nice to see you Pep," Tony instinctively leaned into her side more. She chuckled down at him and looked up at Steve and mouthed 'thank you.'

Tony heard a door open but didn't look until he heard a familiar voice, "So, it's true. To be honest, I truly thought you wouldn't be that stupid." Rhodey was standing in the doorway and stuck out his hand for Steve to shake. Tony leaped onto the table and took a seat, unable to contain his smile to the point that his tongue was hanging out. He shook his head, "And I would think someone as stupid as you would get into this, but I guess I stand corrected." Rhodey laughed and sat in the chair across from Pepper to greet his friend.

Steve stood awkwardly in the corner, "So, I'm gonna, ya'know, head out to do… stuff. I'll be back soon." He smiled at the group and made his retreat. He wasn't sure where he was going to go but figured that it'd be nice for Tony to have some alone time with his friends.

After Steve left, Pepper turned her attention back to Tony, "Well, you guys seem to get along better." She was absentmindedly playing with his tail, "Yeah, I guess the only good that's coming out of this is that the team is getting closer." Pepper hummed, but the look on her face showed that she didn't quite believe him.

Rhodey also look a bit displeased, confusing Tony, "Why do you guys look like you're gonna murder someone…" Rhodey shrugged, "I just - I don't know. I guess I'm just a little confused as to why it took your 'team' this long to y'know… _appreciate_ you I guess." Pepper nodded, "I know you Tony, and I know how you feel about them. You don't trust them."

Tony looked at both of his friends before looking down at his paws, "At first I didn't, but I don't know, they're really looking out for me now-"

"I know, I know, but they shouldn't have waited until you got turned into a fucking dog," Rhodey shook his head, "They should have started looking out for you the first day you knew you were going to be working together, because hell Tony, you're willing to sacrifice your life for a team that won't bat an eyelash at you."

Tony couldn't help but look at Rhodey with shock, and could tell that his friend was sincere. Damn, maybe they were right. Now that he was thinking about it, what they were saying was true. Before this all happened, the only time he would see his teammates was during missions, but other than that, he could've gotten killed in his workshop without any of them knowing. But they're really making it up to him now. If they weren't as supportive as they are now, who knows what could happen to him.

Pepper sighed, "You know we both want what's best for you. If you truly believe they're changing, then stick with them. But, if at any time you feel that things revert back to how things were before, you're more than welcome to stay with us." She was petting his back now, and he couldn't help but shrug away. He nodded, "Yeah, okay. Thanks." Pepper and Rhodey looked at each other and then back at Tony until Rhodey piped up, "Is there anything you want to do?"

"Honestly? Not really. I'm not in the mood to go outside looking like an inverted lamp."

"Damn, I was hoping you'd let me walk you around Times Square. You know, show off the goods, I know you like attention," Rhodey joked. Tony just shook his head, "You're such a dick."

That's how the rest of the afternoon went, the trio talking and bantering until Steve came back - he walked around Central Park to kill some time while giving Tony space. "Well, I have to go," Pepper said, "I got a company to run, _your_ company." Rhodey also stood up, "Yeah I gotta head out as well, meetings with the President and all." Tony rolled his eyes but smiled, "Thank you. Today was nice. I'll see you both soon."

Steve looked foundly at the group and clipped Tony's leash back to his collar. The pair left the room, leaving behind Rhodey and Pepper. They entered the elevator, "I'm glad you liked your surprise, they seemed happy to see you."

"It was nice to see them. You don't realize how much you missed them until you see them again, you know?" Tony nodded to himself. The rest of the way down was silent, as well as the walk back to the tower. Tony couldn't help but think about what his friends said, what they thought about the team. He started to look back at the times before this incident, and what they said were true. The team really only started 'caring' about him after he transformed. What if he turned back and things returned back to normal, back to his team ignoring him…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Greetings, Anthony. Did you enjoy your surprise?" Thor's voice boomed from the living room. Tony walked in and found that the rest of the team were sitting on the couch. Steve took a seat next to them and gestured for Tony to join them.

"Um, yeah. It was great. I'm just pooped, so I'm gonna go… somewhere and lay down for a bit," Tony nodded his head in the direction of the hallway doors leading to the spare bedrooms.

"Oh, okay. We'll be here," Steve said, and Tony could see a hint of worry in his expression.

As soon as Tony left the room, the team looked at each other before Bruce piped up from the recliner, "Something happened while he was there."

"No shit, Sherlock," Clint mumbled from his seat next to Natasha, who not-so-graciously thumped him upside the head. Steve, after a few moments of thinking about what was wrong, went to get up and see what the problem was, but Bruce put his hand on his knee, "Just wait. He'll come when he wants to."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tony went into one of the spare bedrooms and leaped onto the bed. He had JARVIS put on the TV for background noise as he filtered through his thoughts. He couldn't help but think that once he turned back to normal, his so-called team wouldn't care about him. He hated to admit it, but being around them made him less lonely - it was doing wonders for his well-being if he was being honest.

He just didn't want whatever the team had going on now to disappear. He still wanted to have team dinners, team bonding, team movie night, whatever. It was going to be hard to give that up when he turned back to normal.

After about an hour-or-so of thinking, he sighed but knew that the team was probably waiting for him. He leaped off the bed and made his way back to the living room. All of the team perked up when they heard his nails click against the floor - guess they were waiting for him. He forced a smile as he leapt onto his designated spot on the couch. He shifted his attention to the TV, where a Sci-Fi movie was playing, until it wasn't. He looked over at Natasha who had the remote in her hand, and she raised an eyebrow at him, "So, you gonna tell us what's bothering you?"

Tony huffed, "What? Besides being a dog, I'm fine." He knew they could see right through him - one of the downsides of living with two master spies was that he wasn't able to throw up his usual masks and get away with it.

"No, you're not," Natasha stated matter-of-factly. Steve nodded, agreeing with her.

"Yes, I am. Can you please turn on the movie again, the scene I like is coming up," Tony gestured towards the remote in Nat's hand. Natasha shook her head, "Nah, I think I'm good." Tony groaned, showing his disappointment.

"What's wrong, Tony. Ever since the surprise visit you've seemed… depressed," Steve said, sounding exasperated like he, alone, was the reason Tony was in this current state. Tony looked at the rest of the team and shook his head as he looked down at his paws.

"Want the truth?" He sneaked a peek up at the team and they all looked at each other and back at him, as if urging him to go on. Tony took a deep breath, "What we have going on right now… it's the best I've ever felt. I feel complete, I feel that I actually have a support system in place, I feel like I'm part of a family." The team all smiled at each other, but the look of confusion was also blatantly obvious.

Tony looked down at his paws again, "But, why did you guys wait until - _this_ happened." He nodded down at himself, "If I'm being honest, it's like a slap to the face. If this hadn't have happened, then, I don't know, things would've been the same as before. Before, when no one paid any attention to each other except on missions… when no one acknowledged me. Pepper and Rhodey were always there for me, from the beginning. And even though I didn't know it at the time, they noticed that I was willing - _am_ willing, to give my life for any one of you, but it's not a reciprocated gesture."

The team looked as if they had just gotten punched in the stomach, Steve looked like he was about to cry and Tony couldn't even look up again. Bruce was the first one to speak, "I'm sorry, I never knew you felt that way."

Everyone followed Bruce, saying their own form of an apology, claiming that they didn't know. Tony wanted to believe them, but couldn't. Not until they show it, physically and emotionally. Everyone turned to Steve, who hasn't said anything. Tony bit his lip, unsure on what to do - it was getting kind of awkward.

He was just about to turn and high-tail out of there until Steve spoke up, "I don't know what to say. Those words I said to you on the helicarrier… you've proved me wrong every damn day. It's so difficult for me to get along with you - man, Tony, you were so arrogant and seemed so selfish that I thought I would knock you out if I even tried to converse with you." He shook his head, and Tony dared to look up. Tony could see tears starting to gloss over the Captain's eyes.

"And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should've sat down and actually gotten to know you, but I was scared. I was scared that you'd just pull farther away. I really did want to know you, get close, and for some odd reason I thought that staying far away would help. It was stupid, really really stupid," Steve raked a hand through his hair.

Tony let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He sighed, "It's okay, I should've stepped up too." He pressed his lips into a fine line as Cap nodded at him in recognition. After _that_ was said and done with, the team gradually relaxed as Natasha turned the TV back on. Tony laid his head on the couch, shaking his head so the cone would fall into a comfortable place.

Steve scooted closer to Tony and took Tony's head and placed it on his lap. Tony flinched as he heard something clip - or unclip for that matter. Steve threw the cone over his shoulder and Tony sighed a breath of contentment. He was still as stiff as a board, but he was able to relax when Steve kneaded the area around his wound. Apparently he did something funny because when he opened his eyes the entire team was looking at him and chuckling. He felt a hand press down on his stomach and another on his back. He closed his eyes and savored this moment, because although it would take some time to trust his team, he didn't mind waiting.


	6. Chapter 6

**A Few Weeks Later…**

Tony was still a dog… shocker. It was nearing November now and there was still no sign of Loki. Fury wasn't on his ass about the whole situation, and the team was becoming accustomed to this new life. It was six in the morning and Tony stretched as he heard Steve getting ready for his morning run. After the accident, Tony became less active in fear of hurting himself even more, but this week it was decided to ease him back onto an exercise schedule.

Tony shook out his fur as he stood, and made his way to the common area. No one else was up - Tony couldn't blame them, who in their right minds would wake up at a time like this? He wasn't waiting long when Steve came out dressed in his joggers and a long sleeve shirt. He chuckled when Tony yawned, obviously not excited about getting up this early.

"What's the matter? Scared that this 90-somethin'-year-old is gonna make you eat his dust?" Steve playfully joked as he grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. Since it was so early in the morning, he didn't bother grabbing Tony's leash since there wouldn't be a lot of people out anyways.

"No, I'm just planning my celebration for when I sweep the floor with you," Tony yawned again.

"Alright, I'm holding you to that. Let's get going," he stepped into the elevator that JARVIS so gratefully opened for them. They went down through the lobby and stepped into the chilly New York air. Tony shivered but started running alongside Steve, knowing he wouldn't be shivering by the end of it.

Tony wasn't able to sweep the floor with Steve, losing his breath within the first mile - _damn,_ he needed to get back in shape. Steve took mercy on the dog and stopped, letting him take a breather, "Ya'know, once you turn back to normal I still expect you to come on these runs with me."

Tony snorted, "Haha, that's a good joke Cap. Finally found your sense of humor…" Tony gradually went from a standing position to rolling on his back on the cement. Steve shook his head and bent down to pick him up. He tucked Tony under his arm and carried him for another mile and then back to the tower.

They went back up to their floor in the tower, and routinely, Steve started the stove up to cook his eggs while simultaneously preparing bacon to put into Tony's dish. Tony went into the living room to take his spot on the couch while waiting. Something Tony loved most about his situation was being able to smell just how delicious his food was going to be. His stomach grumbled as Steve prepared both their breakfasts.

Like normal, Natasha was the next person to wake up. She usually came into the kitchen in the middle of Steve and Tony's breakfast to make her own - which only consisted of coffee (it _killed_ Tony that he couldn't have coffee).

Bruce stumbled in, and it was a toss up on whether he actually went to bed the night before or pulled an all-nighter in the lab. Tony still couldn't get over the fact that although Bruce stays up all night working like Tony, Tony's the one who gets yelled at for it. However, in this form, Tony _needed_ to sleep or he couldn't function. Like that one time where he couldn't sleep because he was so nervous about his predicament that he accidently pissed on the couch - yeah, the team would never let that down.

Anyways, Bruce would usually use the same pot that Natasha brewed to pour his coffee, and as if on cue, "Why didn't you save any for me?" Clint usually said as he strolled in in just his boxers.

Thor was always the last to get up, surprisingly. He would come in with a crazy case of bed-head and go straight to the snack cabinet for his breakfast: two packages of varied flavored pop-tarts.

Every morning, Tony would look at the team and could see that with everyday, they became more relaxed and comfortable. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to prepare for long-term circumstances. He knew Loki wouldn't change him back anytime soon, the stubborn bastard. No matter how hard Thor would look, he would always return with a gloomy attitude - who knows, maybe Loki could've died in a cave in the middle of nowhere, no one would know.

Typically after everyone's have had their breakfast, they would all gather in the living room to chill out for a little. Steve would whip out his sketchbook, the news would be playing garnering the attention of the rest of the team, and Tony would nap to catch up on some of the much needed sleep he sacrificed every morning. He was jostled awake at the sound of someone getting his leash. He glanced up as Clint maneuvered Tony into his harness and clipped the leash.

"No. Five more minutes," Tony threw his head back as Clint chuckled and tugged his leash to get him off the couch. Tony obliged, knowing that Clint wouldn't hesitate to drag him off the couch and threw the building, much like his first time on the leash. As Tony broke out of the haze he was in, he could see that the rest of the team were throwing on their coats.

Noticing his look of confusion, Clint perked up, "We have a nice, relaxing day planned out for you. Don't worry, nothing bad." Tony looked at the rest of the team and saw that they all seemed on the same page, already planning the day without his input. He sighed, both excited and nervous to see what they had planned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"HELL NO," Tony was now struggling and pulling against the leash, but Clint continued to push forward. Tony could smell the place before he saw it. And sure enough, his nose didn't let him down. He could see through the fence that there were about a dozen other dogs, all shapes and sizes.

"Molly recommended this place, and I thought it'd be fun to get out of the tower. You know, _socialize,_ " Steve smirked. One more tug and Tony gave up, groaning as he walked into the park. The entire team wore amused smiles as Natasha took Tony's harness off him and gave him a little shove in the direction of the other dogs.

Tony looked back at the team and saw they were all waiting for him to do something. It was obvious they wanted something embarrassing to happen to him, and there was no way in hell that he was going to give them that. Tony trotted over to the corner of the park and laid down in the tall grass, and turned his head towards the fence so he was facing away from the team.

Thor turned to the rest of the team, "Well, this isn't as exciting as I imagined it would be." Bruce rolled his eyes, "He's just being stubborn." Clint nodded along, but he knew exactly what to do. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a squeaky tennis ball, easily capturing the attention of half the dogs in the park. Natasha mumbled something inaudible under her breath, but didn't stop Clint as he winded up his arm and threw the ball right towards Tony - "This should be good," Bruce said as the ball landed right next to the Australian Shepherd.

Tony was just minding his own damn business when a tennis ball landed beside him. At first he ignored it, because he knew that the team was trying to rouse him, but not even five seconds later he was bombarded by every other dog in the park. He went to get up so he could run away but he was pinned down and couldn't move. He rolled quick enough to throw the dog - a German Shepherd - off.

He ran across the large yard and looked back to see that sure enough, the German Shepherd was chasing him. He also noticed that he garnered the attention of some of the other dogs, who were also pursuing him. He heard his team laughing in the background, and growled to himself.

The pursuit of Tony last for about a minute when he was cut off by a larger dog, who which he collided with and he skidded across the shorter grass. He groaned while trying to regain his breath, but was toppled by the other dogs. He tried to paw them off of him but it was no use. He just laid there until eventually, the dogs got bored of him and let him be.

After checking if the coast was clear, he stood up and shook to get rid of all the extra grass that got stuck in his fur. He growled at a dog that loomed behind, but apparently they didn't get the hint. The dog had a rope in his mouth, and as if taunting him, he dropped the rope at Tony's feet, daring him to take it. Tony looked at the team and could see that they were watching to see what he would do. He looked at Steve, as if pleading for his help, but he also gave Tony an incredulous look.

The dog opposite of him started to bark and wag its tail, trying to get Tony to play with them - well, Tony was having none of that. Instead, the billionaire turned his back to the dog in retaliation. He puffed his chest out but couldn't help the high-pitched squeal that came out of his mouth when he felt a nose shove up into his ass. He turned back around to pounce at the dog, but was too slow. The dog dodged, and Tony fell flat on his face.

The whole team was hunched over, obviously enjoying the show. He snarled at them, and decided he'd show the dog who was boss. He lunged at the rope and the other dog did the same. At first, pure adrenaline and anger was running through Tony's veins, so grabbing the rope seemed like the more dominant thing to do. However, after the other dog started tugging on his side of the rope, he realized that grabbing the rope may have been a mistake.

The other dog was a Mastiff. So in other words, he was faced up with the biggest dog in the park - and probably New York in general. His eyes went wide, but it was as if he had lock jaw. He didn't let go of the rope, so the only thing he could do was tug back. He could see out of the corner of his eye that the team was still laughing and were predicting the outcome of this little tug-of-war match. Tony dug his paws into the grass and tried his best to rip the rope from the mastiff's mouth, but to no avail. Instead, the Mastiff was dragging him across the park once more.

"This is the best thing I've ever seen," Clint said in all seriousness as he watched the match between his teammate and the mastiff.

"Typical of Stark, facing the biggest guy in the park. And like usual, he's gonna get his ass kicked," Natasha stated at his side, her arms crossed against her chest. Thor and Bruce chuckled beside her. Steve rolled his eyes, "Love the confidence in our teammate, guys." The team chuckled collectively as they focused their attention back on the match.

Tony was quite proud of himself, he managed to last a good minute-or-so before the Mastiff won. And by "won", the Mastiff was able to literally _throw_ Tony a good three-feet as Tony's jaw finally released. Tony rolled onto his side and groaned, obviously getting the wind knocked out of him. But the Mastiff wasn't done. The Mastiff stood over Tony, and Tony cringed when he figured out what was going to happen next. He clamped his eyes and mouth shut as the Mastiff licked his face, leaving a trail of slob and drool across his face. Tony whined until the other dog finished.

Tony gagged as he some of the drool made its way into his mouth. He stood up and dry heaved. Steve rolled his eyes, "Such a drama queen."

"Damn straight," Natasha said as she watched the super soldier grab the harness out of Bruce's hands. Bruce just shook his head, "I think this was more enjoyable for us than Tones." Clint chuckled, "Yeah, I gotta say this was a lot more eventful and entertaining than I thought." They watched as Steve approached Tony.

"C'mon, if I could guess, I don't think you're having a fun time," Steve said as he picked up one of Tony's paws to put through the harness, followed by the other. Tony was too pissed off to satisfy the captain with an answer. Instead he walked in front of Steve and led him straight to the gate. The team stifled their laughs, but Tony could care less - he just wanted to get the hell out of there.

"Damn, I think we're being given the silent treatment. And it's from Stark, which is even more surprising," Clint nudged Steve, who pursed his lips but silently agreed. Tony ignored them, but snarled to himself. He started leading the team back to the tower, anger pulsing throughout his entire body. He was just about to cross the street when his leash was tugged, signalling him to stop. He glared at Steve and the rest of the team and tugged back in the direction of the tower.

He was no match for the supersoldier. He groaned loud enough for the team to hear his displeasure when he let them lead him elsewhere. Bruce piped up from his side once not a lot of people were around, "Okay, as your friend, I can promise you that the next place we go is going to be a lot better." Tony couldn't help but roll his eyes - he wouldn't be surprised if he was being brought to a doggy daycare or something.

They walked for another mile or so until they entered a rustic building. He could smell the scent of other dogs, and sighed. He wondered if his team was purposely trying to torture him. They reached the receptionist and as he looked around he realized that this was some sort of spa, but for dogs. There were tubs scattered about, numerous shampoo bottles on a big shelf in the back, and tables with leashes attached for some reason Tony couldn't figure out.

"Hello, how are you?" The receptionist greeted.

"Good, yourself?" Steve said, manners never seeming to fail. The receptionist smiled at him in response, and looked down at Tony, "Oh, what a pretty girl you have here!" Tony sighed, already knowing that the team was never going to let that down. Clint snorted, "Yes, she is beautiful, isn't she?" Tony sulked.

Steve smiled but finally decided that Tony has had enough embarrassment today, "Actually, we're here for Tony, Tony as in a boy." At least the receptionist had the decency to look bad, "Oops, haha sorry about that," she was searching on her computer, "Ah, Tony. Got him. Okay, you all can go to Station #2, it's right through there." She pointed to a tub near the back of the room. Steve nodded and led Tony back there.

The supersoldier got the harness off the dog, and hung it on one of the hooks. Tony honestly wasn't sure if he was looking forward to this or downright petrified at what his teammates had up their sleeves. But nevertheless, he was picked up and placed in the tub. Each member of the team was putting on a tan apron - since when did they worry about getting down and dirty?

He watched as Bruce turned on the water for the hose and felt a hand lay on his back. He closed his eyes as the water hit his back. He flinched at first, but it was actually relaxing once he got used to it. Something was being massaged deep into his fur and skin and led him to let out an audible moan. He heard laughter behind him, but paid no attention.

"Ha, I think he likes it," Bruce said as he continued to spray down Tony.

"I would have to agree, since normal Son of Stark loves to be pampered, it makes full sense that he would in this form too," Thor lathered his own hands in strawberry-scented shampoo. He smiled down at Tony, who was both still angry but happy at the same time. He supposed that he could accept this as a form of apology. He moaned as Thor started to massage the shampoo into his head. It felt good to get the drool and dirt out of his fur, and it was the closest thing to a shower he would ever get.

"I must say, if this is your way of making up for that shit show back there, apology accepted," Tony closed his eyes but addressed the team all the same.

"We actually made this appointment far in advance. We never would have guessed that the dog park would make you that upset," Natasha said as she grabbed some sort of comb. She dragged the comb over his entire body, and he absentmindedly leaned into the touch. He hummed, not really wanting to argue at the moment.

After a few more minutes of getting lathered in different scented shampoos and conditioners, he was shook out of his stupor when he was lifted out of the tub and carried to one of the tables that had the leashes attached. He was placed down and Cap clipped the leash to his collar. He looked around and could see a hose hanging from one of the walls. He leapt as he heard a loud machine start up, and almost fell off the table when a burst of warm air hit his behind.

"Woah, Tony," Bruce chuckled as he re-adjusted the dog back onto the table.

Clint snorted, "Aw, are you scared of the wittle vacuum." He pursed his lips as he pointed the vacuum towards Tony's face. Tony sneezed, eliciting a few cute looks towards him. The vacuum didn't feel like it was working, and as if his dogs instincts took over, he shook with all his might.

"Aw, C'mon dude!" Clint looked down at his now drenched self. He shot Tony a glare, in which he received a dopey smile instead.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," Tony shrugged his shoulders as best he could.

"Yeah, sure. 'I couldn't help it' my ass," Clint mumbled under his breath as he grabbed a towel to wipe himself down. Natasha rolled her eyes but smiled all the same, winking at Tony as if thanking him.

"Okay, for real now," Steve chuckled and continued to vacuum Tony. After he was completely dry, each team member grabbed a comb of their choosing and began to brush Tony's fur. Tony couldn't help but moan at how good it felt. Tony shook one last time, letting his fur puff out.

Thor ran his hand down Tony's back, "Well, Son of Stark! I hope this pampering has made you feel like a - what do you Midgardians call it?-" he looked at the team, who shrugged, not knowing where he was going with it.

"Ah! A princess! I hope you feel like a princess, Tony!" Thor gave his rump two pats and smiled down at him. Tony couldn't resist the smile even though he has, yet again, been called a girl, "Yes, indeed. Thanks."

Clint snorted, "Alright, let's go get this princess checked out." Steve lifted Tony off the table and instead of placing him on the floor, he was placed under the captain's armpit and carried back to the receptionist.

"I hope you all enjoyed bonding with your pup! If I do say so myself, he looks like he had a fabulous time!" The receptionist greeted the group. She looked down at Tony as Steve was putting him in the harness, and let his body take over as he wagged his tail - Man! He felt good! She giggled down at him and nodded at the group as they left. Happy was waiting for them outside, "Wow, Boss. Looking snazzy." He gave an amused look at Tony as he opened the door, allowing each Avenger to slide in.

"I feel great. That was amazing, by the way. Finally being treated the way I should be," Tony jumped onto the windowsill, allowing the wind to blow through his newly groomed fur. Unlike the first car ride, Tony was no longer ashamed of looking like an idiot.

"Yes, he was treated like the princess he is!" Clint said as he patted Tony's behind. Tony was too relaxed to care, letting the chilly air flow down his back. Natasha chuckled, "Yeah, no more dog parks, but a lot more pampering I guess." Steve scooted closer to Tony and picked him up to place him on his lap. Tony hummed as Steve run his fingers down his back, silently agreeing.

Happy drove them through the busy streets of New York and back to the tower. He dropped the team off in front of the entrance that only the team had access to. He nodded as he pulled the car around, back into the crowded street - presumably back to Stark Industries.

The team got onto the elevator and made their way up to the communal floor. There were no more plans for the day except to relax and probably throw on a movie - it was Bruce's choice this week, meaning they would most likely watch a documentary or something. All Tony knew though, he was pooped. Both the park and standing around doing nothing while his team washed him made him extremely tired for some reason, and he knew that he was going to pass out as soon as he hit the couch.

The elevator dinged when the team reached their destination. They all seemed to have the same thought of starting a movie as everyone went to their respective spots on the couch. Bruce went to get the remote and, like predicted, was scrolling through the lists of documentaries available to watch.

"Wait, don't start yet. I gotta piss," Tony hopped off the couch and looked at Clint, who was the closest to the door. Clint rolled his eyes, but got up to let Tony out to do his business on the few patches of grass on the balcony. Clint opened the door and then closed it once Tony was out. It was starting to get darker, and since they were higher up the wind was starting to make the coldness unbearable.

Tony found a patch and quickly did his business before heading back in, not wanting to stay outside for any longer than necessary. He pawed at the glass door, trying to signal Clint back to let him in. After a few seconds, still nothing happened so he scratched at the door again - he knew he should've told one of the team to install a doggy door.

Clint usually liked to joke around, so it would make sense for him to leave him outside for a little longer, but he would never do that now since it was getting colder. He peered inside and nearly had a heart attack when he saw that all of them were passed out on the couch. He knew they were tired, but not _that_ tired. No, that was not natural.

He tried stretching up the door, reaching for the handle but he was too short. JARVIS must have known something was up, but wasn't doing anything about it. He whined to himself, trying to find another way in - except there was none.

He turned around and bumped straight into a pair of leather-clad legs. "Shit," Tony said as he looked up to see who it was.

"Stark, it's nice to see you again."


	7. Chapter 7

"Good to see that you showed up for once, I thought you forgot about me," Tony said, trying for nonchalant, but not really succeeding - he was one step away from shitting himself.

"I will _always_ make time to see my favorite mutt," the God of Mischief spat, crossing his arms as he looked down at Tony with a sneer.

"Ah, glad to know I'm your favorite. Sorry, but if I'm being honest, it's not a mutual feeling," Tony shrugged his shoulders as best he could, but ended up stumbling towards Loki. Loki chuckled as he went to pat Tony's head, but stepped back when Tony snapped his pearly whites at him.

"Oh, that's not very nice. I would believe that since this has all started, you would've become more… obedient. In this form, I expect it would be easy to learn," Loki smiled as he gestured down at the dog. Tony was sick of him, and it hasn't even been a minute. But he needed him to stay, as much as he wanted to push him off the edge of the tower.

"Why are you here. Oh wait, to gloat? Well, if you are, I'm really, _really_ , not in the mood," Tony sat down and stared right past Loki's head so he wouldn't have to make eye contact with the son of a bitch.

Loki walked over to one of the ledges and looked over the city, his eyes glistening with the reflection of the city lights, "I'm here to check up, see if you have learnt your lesson."

"Jesus, don't you think I've learned my lesson by now. This has been literally the worst exper-"

"I'm just going to stop you there," Loki interrupted, eliciting a groan out of Tony, "If I do say so myself, from what I have observed, it seems as though this might be one of the best experiences in your foul life. So, you're welcome."

Tony scoffed, "You're insane. Insane if you think that I actually enjoyed any moment of this shit show."

Loki shrugged, "I don't know. If anything, you've seemed to grow quite fond of your so-called team over the past months." Tony blinked, "I have… not." He whispered as he tried to look back at what had happened over the past months, and Loki was right. He did become a lot closer to his team.

"Yes… you have. Believe it or not, but this spell of mine has actually went against my original plans. It was intended to impede your relationships with the Avengers, not make them grow stronger," Loki pursed his lips, obviously not happy that he was wrong.

"Ah, the ol' backfire. Gotta love those," Tony rolled his eyes. Loki glared at him, "With that being said, I don't see any point in keeping you like this." As Loki gave him a pointed look, his tail started to wag without him giving it permission, and he glared at the extremity.

"So, what are you waiting for? Turn me ba-" A green fog encased him and a squeak originated from him as he felt the physical changes within his small body. His bones started to crack and expand, eliciting more screams, and before he could yell for Loki, his world was encased in black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell," Clint said as he rubbed the back of his head. He had a major headache and as he looked around, he could see that the rest of the team was in the same state. Steve got up quickly from his seat on the couch, "JARVIS, what just happened? Where's Tony?"

All eyes looked towards the ceiling as JARVIS spoke, "I'm not sure what has happened, but Sir is currently still out on the balcony, and it is critical that someone goes and retrieves him at this moment." The team glanced at each other as they all heard the sense of panic within JARVIS's voice.

Steve ran to the door and peered outside, "Oh my lord. Somebody grab a blanket. Now." He opened the door and came across Tony's unconscious - and completely naked - body. He crouched down and placed a finger under Tony's nose to ensure that he was breathing.

Thor also went out to the balcony, carrying a large blanket, which he threw over Tony's body. Tony showed no signs of waking up anytime soon, so the super soldier swaddled him up in the blanket as if he was a newborn, and carried him bridal-style back into the tower. The rest of the team remained inside, not wanting to crowd him.

"I'm going to bring him to the bedroom. Banner, please go grab some of your medical equipment to give a full checkup," Steve instructed. Bruce nodded and quickly moved towards the elevator to head down to his lab.

"How did we miss Loki?" Clint said as he scratched the back of his head. He was constantly checking over his shoulder and around the room, as if ready for said person to suddenly reappear.

"He must've placed a spell on us without entering the tower. JARVIS would have let us know if he entered, and we certainly wouldn't of let him do this to us," Natasha replied. The team nodded in agreement, but followed Steve into the bedroom. Steve placed Tony on the bed and awkwardly stood there, still in amazement. The team didn't say anything until Bruce came in through the door with a first aid kit.

Steve stepped aside and allowed Bruce to examine Tony. Bruce listened through his stethoscope as Tony breathed, took his blood pressure and opened Tony's eyelids with his fingers to shine a flashlight in his eyes. Tony didn't stir.

"From what I can examine physically, he seems perfectly healthy. So there's nothing to be concerned with yet," Bruce nodded, and dug through his kit for a small syringe. He plunged the syringe into Tony's arm to draw some blood. "Chemically, however, I will have to test this. I'm going to head down to the lab to see if there's anything out of the ordinary within his bloodstream. I have no idea when he'll wake up, so someone should be here with him when he does. I'll be back up in an hour-or-so with any results."

The team watched as Bruce left and each took a seat around the room. None of them said anything as Natasha grabbed the remote to turn the TV on as they waited for their resident billionaire to wake up. They were watching a reality show when they heard a groan, "Wha' the hell."

Tony had his arm hung over his face, and his other arm was used to push himself onto his stomach. He buried his face into the pillow and groaned. Steve rolled his eyes but stood up to grab the pillow from Tony's grasp, "Five more minutes."

"Tony, c'mon, give it up," Steve said as he tugged harder on the pillow, but Tony's grip didn't loosen.

"Nooo-" Tony's complaining abruptly stopped as his face hit the mattress after Steve took the pillow and threw it to the other side of the bed. "There we go," Natasha said as she turned the TV off.

Tony whined but pushed himself up into a sitting position, using the headboard for support. A confused look washed over his face as he looked down at himself, bringing his hands up in front of his face as if observing them like they were the rarest things on Earth.

"What the hell happened?" Tony looked up from his hands as he peered down at the rest of his body.

Clint piped up from his spot in the corner, "Unfortunately, you're back to normal. Damn, you're not cute anymore."

"Ha ha, very funny. I've missed you too," Tony said, but he couldn't help the little smirk form at the corner of his mouth, still looking at his hands.

Natasha mumbled something unintelligible under her breath but then spoke loudly for everyone to hear, "It seems as if your friend stopped by and changed you back. We don't know anything specific, seeing as we were all passed out at the time."

Tony looked shocked, "Wow, I thought nothing could get past you guys. Good job, I'm proud of you all."

"And the sarcasm makes an appearance. It's good to have you back," Steve said as he smiled down at the now-man.

"Wasn't gone in the first place, but yeah it's good to be _back_ back," Tony said as he stretched his arms over his head, the blanket falling to expose his chest.

"We should probably get you something to wear, and maybe make some dinner or something," Steve stated, already looking through a drawer full of Tony's clothes. He picked a band shirt and threw it at the billionaire, who caught it and quickly put it on. Tony was going to get up, but the team wasn't in the mood to see him nude… again.

"Wait, wait, wait. Let us get out before we have to see _that_ again," Clint said as he gestured to Tony's waist. Tony waited for his team to leave before digging through his closet for boxers and a pair of sweatpants, aiming for comfort over style. He took some time to look himself in the mirror, and he looked no different than the last time he looked in the mirror in this form. Tony sighed, trying to wrap his head around what happened over the course of the last few months.

He shook his head as he left the room, heading out to the living area. He could smell something cooking in the kitchen, and his mouth started to water - it would be his first time in a while eating actual human food! The team, except Steve, were gathered on the couch scrolling through a list of movies.

Tony eyed the blanket that designated his "spot" and Bruce, who emerged from the lab, picked it up and placed it on the floor behind the couch. "Good to see you again, well in this form I should say," Bruce said as he plopped down in his own spot, placing a clipboard on his lap.

"Nice to see you too, Brucie Bear. Whatcha got there?" He gave a pointed look at the clipboard as he sat where the blanket was originally. He groaned to himself, not quite used to being in human form.

"These are your blood tests. Nothing seems to be wrong, and you should be fine. But with that being said, you have to let me know if something isn't alright. Any headaches, aches, pains, _anything_ , just tell me, okay?" Bruce gave him a serious look, so he held his hands as if surrendering as he nodded, "Fine, alright," he promised.

Bruce nodded, "Thank you. Now, I can go cook something u-"

"No need," Steve said as he placed a plate down on Tony's lap. Tony looked at the hamburger and nearly moaned as he took his first bite. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, chewing slowly so he could savor the taste he missed so much.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," Steve said as he took his seat on the couch. Tony took another bite and hummed his thanks to the captain.

"You don't understand how much I've missed this," Tony stated in between bites.

"I can't imagine not being able to eat whatever you want, I think I'd starve," Clint said. He threw his legs up across Natasha's lap, who promptly pushed them off within a matter of seconds. He whined, but kept his legs down on the floor.

"Yeah, you wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as I did," Stark joked, throwing up his arms to protect his face from the pillow Clint launched at him.

"Children, please settle down," Natasha said while pinching the bridge of her nose. Tony smiled, not realizing how much he missed all of this. "Yes, I am intrigued by this show. I would appreciate it if you stopped with your Midgardian shenanigans," Thor piped up from his spot. Tony sighed and joked, "You're no fun."

And that was basically how the rest of the night went, the team gathered around the TV watching a comedy movie eating late night snacks, Bruce seemingly forgetting about the documentary they were watching earlier that night. They casually joked, and would casually get hit in the face with pillows and other pieces of decor. Aside from all the projectiles being thrown around, smiles still lit up the room.

Eventually, everyone passed out from exhaustion, and Tony dreamt of how lucky he was to have a team like this.

 **Three months later…**

Tony had gotten used to living as a human again within the last couple of months, and it was today that he had gotten the green light from Fury to suit up again with the rest of the team.

"Shit!" Tony shouted as he was hit in the back and sent flying across the courtyard.

"Language. Are you okay? Widow, what do you have?"

"Nothing as of yet, Cap. Just that there are currently giant _bugs_ roaming the streets of New York, but I thought that would be common knowledge. Oh, and that Stark just got his ass handed to him. What's the matter Stark? Suit's a little rusted?" Steve sighed, but rolled his eyes all the same.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you not gonna criticize her use of profanity? Because when I say one damn thing it's like all hell breaks loose," Tony recovered from the blow and blasted the perpetrator to pieces with one repulsor blast.

"Woah! Again, jeez Stark. That's strike number two, one more and we gotta kick you off the team, sorry," Clint said into his earpiece, and Tony could actually hear the sarcasm. Tony looked and could see Clint's relaxed posture even though he was completely surrounded.

"Alright, enough. We still have some bugs heading on Fourth, Stark, go get 'em. Everyone else, try to contain them within this area," Tony heard Steve say through the coms. Tony fired up his repulsors and headed towards the AWOL bugs.

He successfully killed all of them before returning to the group, who also killed all of their bugs in the area. He opened his helmet and breathed in some fresh air - well, as fresh as New York air could be. He fistbumped Clint, and walked over to Bruce, whose skin was still a tinted green.

"Good job. Jolly Green sure did his job," Tony offered his hand and Bruce immediately grabbed onto it to pull himself up.

"Great job everyone, and nice first mission back Stark," he nodded at Tony, "Let's head back to the tower to freshen up, then we can head for debrief," Cap nodded at each of his teammates. Usually, this was when Tony would fire up his repulsors and head to the tower by himself, but he made his way to the quinjet with the rest of the team. He lagged behind to watch the rest of the team.

Clint and Natasha were side-by-side, playfully bumping into each other and trying to trip each other up. Natasha laughed when Clint fell over her foot and landed face first into the ground before him. He groaned but got right back up to resume his usual antics.

Thor was swinging his hammer around as if it weighed nothing, and the usual after-battle gleam was present in his eyes, just like Tony remembered. Bruce was dragging his feet but following right behind Thor - Bruce usually felt guilty after transforming into the Hulk, even though he usually didn't do anything wrong. Thor was trying to talk animatedly to him, and it was obvious Bruce was not in the mood but was trying to seem interested. Tony chuckled to himself.

Steve held a hand to his ear, talking to what Tony could assume was SHIELD. He was surveying the area to ensure that every last bug was taken care of before the team left. He made eye contact with Tony, and gave a small smile, which Tony quickly returned. Steve returned to talking to the agent on the other end of the earpiece.

Tony smiled to himself. The team had become so close with each other ever since the incident, and Tony couldn't be more happy if he tried. He was constantly looking back at the last three months, seeing the obvious chemistry the team had obtained through battles and life at the tower. He finally gained the trust he was looking for with each of his teammates, knowing that they would always look out for him.

As much as he hated to admit it, he was grateful for Loki. Grateful that the god had brought the team much closer together, and even if it meant Tony had to sacrifice everything to get and maintain that chemistry, he would go through that all again if he had to.

Tony looked down at his hands, and back up to the team who were all looking at him as if he was crazy. "Are you coming or what? You've been standing there for a while and I will not hesitate to leave your ass here," Clint yelled from the cockpit.

Tony chuckled but jogged up the ramp. As he took his seat, he looked around once more and decided right then and there: Yeah, he would sacrifice anything for his team, and knew they would do the same.


End file.
